Slips Of Paper

Some weeks ago I found three slips of paper in my purse. I put them on the desk, and I found them again today when I was filing paperwork. Appropriate. Timely.

The words on the slips of paper were copied from an "O" magazine more than two years ago. It's odd that I didn't write down the date, or the author, or any other information that would place the five questions I wrote down. *I emailed Oprah.com to ask about the reference for the questions so I could post them here. The Editors responded the next business day:

Those questions appeared in our September 2005 issue. They were part of an article by Suzy Welch called, "Getting Unstuck."The article is available on Oprah.com:
http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/omag_200509_unstuck/1

The questions are these:

Does this job allow me to work with "my people" - individuals who share my sensibility about life - or do I have to put on a persona to get through the day?

Does this job challenge, stretch, change, and otherwise make me smarter - or does it have my brain in neutral?

Does this job, because of the company's "brand" or my level of responsibility, open the door to future jobs?

Does this job represent a considerable compromise for the sake of my family, and if so, do I sincerely accept that deal with all its consequences?

Does this job - the stuff I actually do day-to-day - touch my heart and feed my soul in meaningful ways?

I wrote these questions down as I sat at the counter in a Barnes and Noble store. At the time I was thinking about my dream job. I didn't know what the work would be, but I remember thinking that these questions pinpointed how I wanted to feel while I was doing the work.

I want a job that challenges me, touches my heart, feeds my soul, and opens doors while I am able to maintain my integrity. I dream of working with people who share my sensibility about life.

The career counselor I've been working with has asked me to think about the work I want to do. She advised me to sign up for a series of workshops to explore the topic with other women who are also exploring careers and making their way through the job search process.

The first workshop is tomorrow morning. Along with my updated resume and most recent letter of application I will take my slips of paper. The questions are as important as anything else I will consider as my job search continues. Maybe they are the most important thing.