Don’t look for a job, create a job.

There are many people out there looking for work, they tweak their CV's, learn how to talk themselves up in a unique yet humble way and then go through the interview process, and what a tedious process that is.

One question I always ask someone that is making applications for certain jobs in a certain industry category is: “What have you done over the last 12 months that aligns your interests and passions with your future employment?” Funnily enough, this is not a question you will get asked often in an interview.

More often than not the response to this question is something on the lines of, well I have been applying for jobs, researching companies and deciding where I would like to work. They might mention that they are just about to finish or have just completed University. Hopefully, they may mention they are reading a book or two.

This is clearly missing the point. It isn’t about where you want to work, a small percentage is related to what other companies are out there in the category and it sure as hell is not about the jobs that are available in that industry (something like 67% of jobs are not advertised.)

It is however, about your devotion, passion and interest FOR the Industry. Let me draw on the great Franck Muller as an example.

This gentleman was born in Switzerland in 1958. From a very early age, he developed and nurtured a growing interest for all things mechanical. From an early age he was disassembling all the machines in his house to study how they worked. As a teenager he collected antique astrological instruments. He then joined the Geneva School of Watchmaking, graduated with flying colours and then chose a very difficult path to follow but he had enough devotion, passion and interest to create his own watchmaking company and a very successful one at that- Franck Muller. (It’s fair to say that Franck Muller has gone on to sensational influence the global watchmaking industry.)

So now, consider my before mentioned question: “What have you done over the last 12 months that aligns your interests and passions with your future employment?” Franck Muller could name a few, so many that he could launch his own company. If some of the applicants out there had half the ingredients someone like Franck had then sky is the limit.

You will create your own job through your devotion, passion, and interest FOR the industry. An occupation should be your devotion, interest and passion remunerated.