- Preparation = Perfection
Cooking is the art of layering ingredients accurately and timely through a series of steps that if followed create the perfect dish, if not – less than perfection. The successful chef has all the ingredients pre-measured and arranged. In the midst of cooking they don’t have time to keep running to the pantry to get the next ingredient.
Our Lesson: Job search is the process of taking small repeatable steps that if not followed will result in a longer more frustrating job search. Don’t start until you are prepared, have your branding statement, your accomplishment stories, your reason for leaving statement, and so forth. Organize and arrange before you jump in on your job search.
- Passion, Passion, Passion
Chefs are passionate about their craft, they take pride in their work and they pour themselves into every dish. Since their work reflects their abilities, they work meticulously in search of culinary perfection.
Our Lesson: Using chefs as examples, find the passion in your life. Use it to pursue excellence. When your work feeds your soul, it commands the best version of yourself and you are more likely to achieve excellence. Your passion creates enthusiasm; your enthusiasm infects those around you and gets them engaged in your search. Without passion efforts wither and die. Allow your passion to guide your efforts.
- Adjusting with Addition and Attrition
If you have watched a chef prepare a dish you may have noticed they are constantly taste-testing throughout the process. Based on this taste-testing they are making small adjustments to the recipe.
Our Lesson: Plenty of life’s experiences require adjustments; the same is true for a job search. You need to be prepared to make adjustments to take advantage of an opportunity or recover from a setback. If you are not seeing the results you need, what adjustments can you make to get your desired result? Don’t be afraid to make the mid-course corrections to succeed. As a bonus, if you carved out prep time in the beginning, you will be more likely have everything at hand to take advantage of current circumstances.
- Recipes = Reliable Results
The value of a recipe is the consistent product each and every time. Follow the recipe and you get the desired result.
Our Lesson: We often try to “wing it” with some imaginary expectation of producing outstanding results. When you desire consistent results, find a recipe. It doesn’t require you to create it. You can easily find someone who has created a system for the process. Seek out the expert job search coach to give you the winning recipe and have the courage to follow it.
The chef’s lessons can be applied to success in life or job search, it may take you out of your comfort zone initially, but the more you prepare, follow the recipe, adjust to opportunities and exhibit your passion the more comfortable it becomes.
Share with me how these lessons from chefs can influence your job search.
