Dancing Through the New Work World

By Mary Ann Faremouth, CPC

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I can’t help but look at pictures of my dear mother on my dresser, smiling as she danced with my dad. It brings back memories of how much my parents enjoyed dancing at weddings, anniversaries, parties, and other special occasions where they could move to the music. Then today, at my almost five-year-old granddaughter’s ballet recital, watching her on stage twirling through her practiced steps and finishing with a big bow, brought that same metaphor of dance to mind once again. It also reminded me of something a good friend once called me, referring to my work as a recruiter. They called me a “choreographer of vocations,” which I took as a great compliment.

Isn’t life a lot like dance? It’s not always a straight line. Lately, it feels more like a cha-cha, where we take a step back after moving forward. Often in life, we need to reflect on the past in order to move ahead.

These days, I believe we are all ready for a new dance, to choreograph a different set of movements that allow us to step into both professional and personal success. Dance has always been a unique and essential human activity that connects us to the rhythms of life. And there are so many types: minuets, waltzes, foxtrot, swing, tap, tango, ballet, cha-cha, the twist. The variety of dances offers an interesting comparison for how we navigate change.

When your career undergoes change, it can be helpful to reassess the steps you have been performing. Will you continue in the same way, or try something new? Will you line dance, getting in step with others through networking and joining groups or forums on LinkedIn and other platforms? Or will you breakdance and improvise your job search by exploring different industries to see how your transferable skills might apply? Maybe you will simply waltz into a new role right where you are.

Now more than ever in my 30-plus-year career as an executive recruiter, I spend my time with people navigating change. Whether employers are struggling to find the right hire in today’s talent shortage, or employees are trying to maximize their career potential, determining the right steps to take is part of the process.

As a “choreographer of vocations,” I try to help people consider new steps and discover new motivations. Some days may call for a fast-paced, confident salsa, while others may require slowing down into more of a waltz. If you are searching for a new or better job, your approach may need to shift. And if the music in your life has changed, whether professionally or personally, this can be a great time to reflect and try something new.

What types of changes are you dancing through right now, and what might be ahead? If you are an employer, are you taking the right steps to find your next great hire by considering transferable skills rather than exact experience, given the current talent shortage? You may also find strong candidates in individuals who, while not checking every box on paper, bring valuable relationships, networks, and the ability to open doors in meaningful ways. As a prospective employee, are you broadening your repertoire by building your skill set and approaching opportunities with a “we” mindset, focusing on what you can contribute to a company rather than only what it can offer you?

Just as a choreographer creates routines for different performances, you may need to adjust your steps to fit new situations. It may take a moment to find your rhythm, but no matter what, be like my parents and keep dancing. And as my granddaughter reminded me, don’t be afraid to take a few twirls, but always be ready to take your bow and show gratitude to those who are part of your journey.

I’m grateful to reflect on my mother this Mother’s Day and the way the metaphor of dance continues to shape how I view my work as a recruiter. Watching my granddaughter learn her steps and take her bow always brings a smile to my face. And I still appreciate being called a choreographer of careers. It inspires me to keep helping others navigate their own unique career journeys, whatever dance they may be learning.

Mary Ann’s award-winning first book Revolutionary Recruiting has been listed by Book Authority as Number #1 Best 100 Recruiting Books; #1 Best Seller, Non-Fiction, Amazon (2019); Top 20 Recruiting books, Recruitics; Readers’ Choice finalist (2019), Houston Literary Awards; Best Non-Fiction (2018), Best Cover (2019), and Best Self-Help (2018), Authors Marketing Guild. This was followed by “Revolutionary Reinvention”, a workbook for job seekers giving advice on how to rediscover your skills and passions and reinvent your career. Her most recent book is “Revolutionary Results” , a collection of life lessons about relationships, integrity and contributing to the world.