In many conversations I’ve heard people – often women – describe themselves in this way. Every time, I cringe because of all this phrase implies. Even if that’s not what you meant it to mean.
No time to read this now? Download it!
When you say, for example, ‘I’m just a receptionist’, notice what you are saying to the world – and yourself. It sounds like you believe:
Whichever way you look at it these are negative messages if you believe them. What if you had some other beliefs instead. Beliefs like these:
Everyone has a handful of jobs they are ‘born to do’. If you are lucky enough to have found what that is for you and you’re in that job, no matter how lowly you perceive it to be, please don’t talk it down.[Tweet “If you actually love what you do, tell the world about it with enthusiasm and pride.”]
On the other hand, if you really do hate your job and wish you weren’t doing it, you can express that without denigrating the role in general or the industry you work in.
Some industries have trouble attracting younger people. Part of the reason is that people already working in those industries just don’t promote what they do in a positive way – even when they do love their jobs!
No wonder young people, if they do happen to find their way into these jobs, often have no idea of what they’re getting into. They have probably never met anyone with experience in the role who has told them what it’s really like – both good and bad.
Next time someone asks you ‘What do you do?’ please remove the ‘only’ or the ‘just’ from your answer, even if you feel your work is insignificant.
By speaking about your job as if it’s important – because every job is! – you’ll feel better about it. You might even be the catalyst to someone else finding the career of their dreams because you didn’t talk it down.
What do you think?
[Tweet “Does how we talk about our job affect us and others?”]
Susan Rochester has been managing director of Balance at Work since 2006. Susan has a natural tendency to balance analytical thinking with an optimistic outlook to set direction and solve problems. She is an effective facilitator and constantly creates new and more effective ways of doing things, motivated by helping others to achieve their goals.