👩‍🍳 Recipe for success, meet today’s special

Ever wonder what would happen if companies had to apply to you?

Instead of combing through job descriptions listing all the qualifications for an ideal candidate, the company would have to explain why you would want to lend your skills to them. They’d need to describe what success in the role would mean, why it matters, and how they would support you in getting there.

This flips the job seeker’s expectations, from trying to match every bullet point under “required,” to considering how they could apply their skills and expertise to get where both they and the employer want to go. It’s the difference between finding a cog of the right shape to perform a function in the machine, and being open to growth, change and adaptation. And in the long run, particularly in our constantly changing world, being open to change makes all the difference.

We’ve been fooled into thinking that our working lives are supposed to unfold predictably. From the time we’re in school picking our classes, up through setting our five-year plans and outlining professional development goals, we’re expected to figure out how we fit into the predetermined roles available.

Except — these seemingly inflexible requirements are more squishy than we think.