“A [contrarian] isn’t blinded by the conventional wisdom of the present, they’ve recognised the patterns of the past and see the clues to the future…”  ~ Henry Joseph-Grant

Last week I introduced the concept of a Career Contrarian and my intention to use that framework in helping people reframe their professional value as strategic assets rather than relying on commoditized skills that no longer fit.

Since then, I’ve asked a few times “Why?” “Why a career contrarian?” “What’s the reason behind this approach?” 

Because Work Is Broken

That’s the short answer: work is broken. Workers are pushing back on returning to the office, many taking part in the Great Resignation when encountering resistance from their employers. 

In addition, we’ve had the most organized labor activity in a generation, across a number of industries: entertainment (writers’ and actors’ strikes), automobile manufacturing (UAW strikes), healthcare (with 22 strikes in 2023, plus pharmacists at stores like CVS and Walgreens walking off the job); as well as union organizing efforts at Starbucks and Amazon. 

Workers are pushing back against the Age of Standardization, dominated by large, stable, hierarchical organizations, and embracing a new Age of Personalization, where individuality — and most of all — fulfillment matters.

So We Need A New Framework

These work/labor dynamics require new ways of seeking fulfilling work and operationalizing that work when it’s secured. 

Successful job candidates DO NOT lump themselves in with everyone else. They differentiate themselves so their unique professional value is clear to people who matter (bosses, hiring managers, clients, customers — people who will pay for value). 

Over the past few years, I’ve used a framework that has successfully helped folks set themselves apart from their competition. The framework is based on four elements:

• Purpose: What drives you? What is the work that will fulfill you?
• Clarity: What do you do well — better than anyone else? What do you solve for?
• Focus: What are the stories that show the impacts of what you do well? How can they relate to the folks you’re talking with?
• Strategy: Where (location, organization, level) do you want to work? How do you get there? 

These components provide a clear, crisp sense of one’s professional value. One that resonates with key decision-makers. The framework provides a strategic approach to one’s career development and a roadmap to fulfillment. 

What Do You Think?

Does this Career Contrartian approach resonate with you? Can you see the value in separating yourself from your competition by focusing on fulfilling asset-based roles rather than commoditized skill-base ones?

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If you’re struggling with how to achieve your career goals let’s chat about how I can help. You can use this link to my calendar to schedule the best time to talk.

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