It’s just a jump to the left…

As Halloween was just yesterday and Job Action Day is today, I thought my topic should be a little “Rocky Horror” with a focus on the Time Warp. Why?

Halloween lets us be whoever we want to be, even if it’s just for a moment.

Job Action Day’s theme this year is all about creating your own opportunity, because times have changed. Full-time gigs are rare and, according to Dr. Randall S. Hansen, founder and publisher of QuintCareers, “The workforce as we’ve come to know it will probably never be the same. Job-seekers must develop a whole new mind-set to thrive in this new world of work. That’s why our Job Action Day theme is ‘Create Opportunity,'” Hansen said. “The theme has a double meaning; not only must job-seekers create opportunity, but we encourage employers and the government to find ways to create opportunity, as well.”

So, while we can’t change the clock, we can change our way of thinking and our attitudes. Here are some tips to help you do just that:

1. Remember when you were a kid and you’d get asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” What did you say then? Try and remember. If you can’t remember exactly, write at least five ideas down right now, from the top of your head. Don’t think too long on this, just go with what pops into your head right NOW.

2. What did you come up with? Any dream gigs? One of my favorite quotes came from a kid in a news article. His answer to the above question, “What do I want to be when I grow up? Why, they haven’t invented it yet.” Heck, Twitter showed up in 2007. Be creative.

3. Can YOU invent it? Right now, original ideas are a valuable commodity.

What is one thing you can think of right now that’s original, out-of-the-ordinary or something you may have been afraid to try in the past? Go ahead, put your toe in the water. It can be done.

4. If you don’t know what you want, get some help figuring it out. This can be done through career assessments and it can also be done by asking questions of people you know. Combine the two activities, and you’ve got a powerful combination of tools to help you get that next big gig.

My client Eric did this. He came from a family of medical doctors. Every person in his family was a physician. Eric, however, sold medical devices. While it paid well, Eric wasn’t satisfied; he simply did not enjoy the job. We went back in time (Time Warp!) to identify what did excite Eric, what he did love, and using some powerful assessment tools and networking, Eric discovered he loved to build things. He was creative. His favorite (albeit unpaid) gig was remodeling his home. Eric decided to create his own home-building business and now builds home for VIPs, despite a “bad economy.”

5. If you’re passionate about it, you can make it happen. My client, Peter, 62 (at the time) was passionate about fitness. He had run and sold several businesses, had a JD (law degree) and an MBA. Now what? At 62, he had done it all or so he thought. What he decided to do for his next career move, was buy and run a fitness club. He made it happen. He tapped his network and brought in an experienced marketing guy to help generate business. Things are going well. What are you passionate about? Can it be turned into your next big gig? And who in your network can help you make it happen?

Let’s do the Time Warp again! Take a few minutes and act on what  you just learned (or remembered). Jot some notes. Make a few calls. Google your ideas and job titles. Make a plan. Make it happen.

You can be who you want to be for more than a moment, you can be it for your next career.

Share your ideas, dreams, and questions right here. I’m listening.

Note: See more Job Action Day posts here: QuintCareers.com. Quintessential Careers, thanks again for having me as a guest blogger for this awesome event (year 3).

PS: Happy 35th to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.