Regaining career focus in these times

Heck of a week here in the Twin Cities. Yet another black life lost in police custody, followed by riots and protests, arson and looting of businesses, SWAT teams and national guard troops on the streets, 8 p.m. curfews and 7 p.m. highway closures, miles of boarded up storefronts and sidewalks covered in shattered glass … just another springtime week in my home state of Minnesota. Oops – did I forget to mention the pandemic?

Add in Atlanta, Bakersfield, Boston, Columbus, Dallas, Des Moines, New York City, San Diego and all the other American cities experiencing protests and riots and you have a pretty comprehensive picture of a nation in turmoil.

To say that it’s been difficult to focus on business as usual would be an understatement. To say that one should even try? I’m not sure we should. The passing of time will give us the perspective we’re so sorely missing now, but it’s the hope of many that we’re at a pivot point on one of the most important issues in our nation’s history. To waste the high price already paid by returning to “normal” … somehow that doesn’t sound like the right goal.

It may not be possible, in any case. For folks whose home or business just burned down, normal might not come back for months or even years. Normal may never return for our young adults who have spent so many hours now at protests and sit-ins, demanding change.

We know from other periods of unrest that the course of one’s life can be sharply altered by such extreme events, regardless of age. Degree programs that seemed compelling lose their luster; careers are re-routed for more meaningful work; retirement plans are detoured as families come together for inter-generational support.

Even if none of these things is happening in your life, it’s hard to escape the general sense of anxiety and uncertainty covering the country like a dark cloak. This may not be a time to seek “normal” but it’s still important to find focus. Without focus, people step away from jobs or school but don’t return; they let go of dreams but don’t replace them with new ones.

It’s difficult at any time to give advice that doesn’t patronize. Put another way: It’s so easy to act as if you know what others should do! But I’m worried about the confusion and uncertainty these times are causing for people’s career paths and job searches, so I’m going to try anyway.

Don’t lose this moment. If you feel drawn to the clean-up efforts, or to the peaceful protests for justice, just go. Take your vacation days if you’re working, arrange it with your teachers if you’re still in class, put your job search to the side if you’re seeking work. It’s not likely to be more than a week or two that you’re involved at the highest intensity, and you’re probably not concentrating well anyway.

Reflect on what you’re experiencing. Whether you drop your usual activities or not, you’re still experiencing this situation as it’s unfolding. Give yourself time every day to reflect on what you’re learning and feeling. Try to understand how you’re impacted by our national and local conversations on race, and what changes you might choose to make, to accommodate what you’re learning.

Revisit your career plans. Has anything changed for you, in terms of what you want to do or what you think is possible now? If you’re still relatively comfortable with your path, it makes sense to stay the course. But if not, recognize that you need to pause to figure things out. Pushing for a goal you don’t really want creates a drag on the system. It’s common for people in this situation to unintentionally hold themselves back, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of not achieving what they thought they were aiming for.

Re-set your focus. Even if your career or job search goals have not changed, it’s likely that your focus has wavered. That happens all the time, although not usually under such extreme circumstances. The actual process of re-focusing can take many forms, including conversations with an advisor or mentor, reshaping your schedule as you return your attention to career issues, adding volunteer activities or classes that let you explore newly discovered interests, etc.

You may find yourself needing to conduct this reset multiple times, as your attention and emotions are drawn by new rounds of current events. Just do your best to roll with it and remember that we’re all experiencing this to some degree. The situation may not be normal, but you’re probably right in the bell curve in the way it’s affecting you.