People are just as important as the work in a job

There’s something that many of my clients don’t realize when they start working with me as a career coach. They think they want a new job. But really, they want a new team and/or a new leader. The best job in the world isn’t worth much without the people that go with it. There isn’t enough money in the world to make me work on a dysfunctional team.

It doesn’t take long for my clients to figure this out. When I ask them to describe their ideal future job, they talk a little about the work…and a lot about the people they work with.

If you’re like me, you’ve been fortunate enough to be on some great teams. Think of your best team, co-worker, or boss. Kind of feels like you could take on any task in the world, right?

But what if you’re at the final stage of an interview, and everything looks great except the people you’re supposed to work with seem burned out, jaded, or siloed? What do you do? Maybe you take the job anyway out of desperation, but you do it begrudgingly.

Of course, the work matters too. But the people are at the heart of it. Very few positions are truly solo. Even entrepreneurs and freelancers need support.

The next time you’re in the application process, ask to meet the people who would be your closest colleagues or supervisors. Or, if you aren’t at that stage yet, think about what would make a great team so you can use that as a lens when the time comes.

What kind of vibe do you get? What kind of vibe do you want?

[[Career Coaching]]