Finished reading Chapter 4.

Again, SO much better than earlier versions of WCIYP. There are so many tasks from this chapter and earlier chapters that I flagged to organize later – questions that could take hours to think about to answer – but Chapter 4 summarizes the plan that Chapters 5-6 will walk the reader through more detail:

1. Do The Flower Exercise to answer who you are
2. List your five favorite transferable skills and three favorite fields of knowledge
3. See if you can combine your three favorite fields of knowledge into one career to make yourself unique
4. Start informational interviewing workers in the careers you have picked out to see if they fit you
5. Find out the *types* of organizations that have those jobs in your geographical area
6. Find names for actual organizations that interest you
7. Research those organizations and get appointments to talk about working there

I had the hardest time with the first two and only thought about doing the rest of the list but I think WCIYP will really help me with the most important first two questions. And I found the following tips really validating:

“If you can, you’ll do better to start with yourself and what you want, rather than with the job market. The difference is your enthusiasm and passion. You’re much more attractive to employers when you’re on fire.

The best work, the best career, for you is the one that makes you happiest and most fulfilled.

A final note: Job hunting is, or should be, a full-time job.”

I always felt like I had no problem with confidence when I had the enthusiasm to do the job – and that it was more important than focusing on money, but I lacked the confidence that I was actually right about that. And I didn’t feel like I had the time to devote to this project in the past and I feel confirmed – because my friends and family just thought I needed to do *something* – and I worried that I was just being lazy by not going forward, but I just didn’t feel ready. So I don’t feel as bad about that now since Bolles should know, after selling (and I assume helping an equivalent number of people) 10 million copies.