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Have you ever experienced the pain and frustration associated with following new trends, ideas or techniques because you found out that others were using them?
How did you to justify the need to jump in with the rest?
Did you assume it would make you more efficient or keep you in the competition, whether for a career progression or in your business?
There is a good reason why I’m asking this.
Last week I wrote my post about supporting our reporting colleagues at the office. I shared 3 tips on how to help bring out their best when they need a champion like true leaders.
Here’s the link in case you haven’t seen the blog post.
How to bring out the best in reporting colleagues
Was this chasing a Shiny Object or Resume boost?
Call it a matter of coincidence, but a few days later; I got a request via Quora for an answer. A young lady wanted to know what certifications she could get to boost her resume.
From her question and details of her present education, I am gathering that she is either at the early stages of her career or about to enter the job market. I sensed a struggle to get a placement.
There were already a couple of answers which guided her to create her CV and tons of helpful tips. This was the best that professionals whom she had approached could answer for a generic question.
One of the other answers had spoken about passion and yes, that is important as is inherent ability, talent and inclinations.
Yet strangely, no one asked her what she wanted to do for her career and then guide her about her choice of certifications to her existing college degree.
Typical of me, I asked and made it clear that it all depended upon the kind of job or industry that she wished to pursue for a career.
You can acquire many certificates for courses that you do, whether online or offline. But if it isn’t relevant to the prospective employer, you won’t get an invitation to a job interview leave alone land the job.
Since she hadn’t provided any specific information, it was difficult to make any solid suggestions for her to research.
The best advice I could give was that she first decides upon what she intended to do.
Then, consult a professional career counselor for guidance on further studies to make her CV attractive to a prospective employer or recruiter which would also build on her bachelor’s degree in commerce foundation.
A bigger coincidence was the topic of my teleclass that month was on avoiding shiny object syndrome for business success and here is someone who is on the verge of heading off to indulge in the same activity for her career!
To give her some credit, she had taken the time to consult Quora members for some guidance which if not provided with due care could send her off in search of El Dorado without improving her job prospects.
She’d end up with a CV laden with diplomas and certificates. This would have then created the problem of being overqualified for a job that might just be the right fit for her.
How can career professionals avoid falling into the Shiny Object Syndrome trap?
Here are 2 tips for the career professionals.
Firstly, be careful about following your passion and getting more certifications in that area unless it is one where there is an active job market.
Prospective employers won’t hire you for your passion unless it is aligned with their passion, and you have skills to match it.
A better way out is to do volunteer work in your spare time to find a creative expression. Use that experience to spruce up your CV for skills that you have learned, and which can be useful in your job.
For more details on how to do it, read my post Putting Unpaid and Volunteer work in your Resume
Secondly instead of joining every new course that you see on the internet or in the newspapers, think before you jump.
Create a professional development plan. Explore learning skills that help bridge any competency gap that can act as a barrier to your career progression.
Read about how I enhanced my own professional development plan and more tips in my post Did you know that a competency gap can affect your career prospects?
Business Owners too can catch flu like symptoms when faced with shiny objects
I’ve seen a lot of this in new business owners or self-employed professionals who have taken the decision to follow their dream. A whole new world opens up to us. The scenarios are different to the ones that we have been used to back in the job world. It is but natural to want to experiment as part of our own learning process.
The problem starts when we continue learning without implementing or even stopping to think whether the learning or activity is relevant to our business.
We experience FOMO – Fear of Missing Out.
I’ll be honest with you – once upon a time I was immune to shiny objects. When I started my own business, I had to learn about new ways of marketing that was different to the accounting profession. I found myself ensnared by the charms of the bright shiny object.
So, it’s safe to admit that I’ve been there and done that. I want to share my finger burnt knowledge with you through my Kindle ebook Cure Shiny Object Syndrome.
This book not only discusses our biggest enemy – the Bright Shiny Object, but also shows you practical steps that will get you demolishing this bane of your business.
Do you feel you need to take stock of your version of Shiny Object Syndrome?
You’re invited to get your copy of Cure Shiny Object Syndrome today by clicking on the book image below or here.
Your turn. Have you ever experienced shiny object syndrome, whether in your personal life, career or business?
How did you tackle this time and money wasting monster?
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What a great comprehensive article Vatsala. I love the recommendation to create a professional development plan. I am in the process of writing my book which has been part of my professional development plan for years. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
You’re welcome Kelley. Looking forward to reading your book in the coming months.
I think we all go through the shiny object syndrome. As with most things in life we learn through experience as we become more confident, wise and aware of what we need and don’t need to succeed.
Absolutely Debra. Sometimes I think SOS is a rite of passage.
Interesting and I feel timely post. I myself feel thankful to have so many wonderful opportunities to learn and to teach for myself and for others especially online. But you are correct. It can be overwhelming and attractive. It’s important to know your own soul. What would best benefit you and how. While there are many courses, books and so forth I’ve been interested in to brush up on my human skills I know that I’ve had to curb myself at times knowing that it will most likely be there for me if and when needed. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing your insights Heather Maria. Knowing what our Soul needs is important and yes, if you really need something down the line, it will definitely be there for you.
As an entrepreneur starting out, I was more attracted to the shiny bright programs offered. I began to see through time and experience, I did better listening within because I wasn’t seeing the increase in clients these programs promised. Now, when I receive these invitations, I politely decline and follow my own path. Thanks for your wisdom Vatsala!
I’ve been there and done that too, Lisa. With time we know what we need and FOMO disappears.
Such important information which can be challenging to navigate. Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome, Laura
I have experienced this syndrome many times over the years. What made a difference for me was healing my self-worth and confidence in what I know and the innate gifts that I possess. When I felt better about myself and what I have to offer, I didn’t need the shiny object. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Kris. An obsession with shiny objects leading to hoarding and compulsive spending are tied to issues of low self-esteem and self-worth. Thank you again for showing what a shift in confidence can do in this matter!
Interesting — but I’m not sure any learning is ever wasted. I think an approach to professional development might rest with knowing one’s learning style. While some folks learn well by focusing on specifics, others of us do better by just tasking our brains out for playtime and seeing what floats to the surface. Thanks for making me think.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Andrea. I agree that no learning is ever wasted but the scenario I was referring to in the post relates to the obsession with signing up for every certification available without a utilization plan or career objective. These courses are expensive and run for a minimum of a year or two. 🙂
I think we’re all guilty of the shiny object syndrome at some point, one way or another. The explosion of social media, applications and platforms, as well as all sorts of devices aren’t making things any easier.
However, it’s up to us to always take 2 steps back and ask ourselves: Is this really what I need right now? I notice I am more grounded when I make a conscious decision to stop trying to keep up with things.
Mindful and informed decision making is key to avoiding shiny object syndrome, Delia. Well pointed out! With the advent of online marketing, there are tons of tools and methods to get our message out but as is always the danger with social media, we need to know when we are engaging for business and when we are wasting time thinking we are marketing our business or ourselves.
It seems there are so many courses, on-line as well as in the field that it can be overwhelming. I thought the way to learn a new business marketing was to buy programs, take webinar after webinar & got caught up in the trap of not knowing even how to implement the info the experts provided. Fortunately I caught myself.
I hear you loud and clear, Roslyn. So many of us have been down that road. I put a stop to it all sometime last year when I decided that I would first complete all the courses that I had purchased on Udemy and implement them first. My wallet has been thanking me ever since! 🙂
I have known a few eternal students who care constantly taking courses to gain those bright, shiny certificates, but never seem to be able to convert them to paid work. With all the hype on the net about following your dreams, it is good to hear the voice of reason making sure you know what you need to achieve that dream and not getting sucked into all the latest trends, which could sidetrack you from your ultimate goal.
Thank you for the compliment, Tamuria. I know quite a few eternal students too who then struggle to get a job because they appear over qualified, especially in a recessionary economy where jobs are difficult to find anyhow. What is more important is to look at the certification and see if it is fitting in with the bigger picture of what we finally want to achieve. I’m hoping to help fellow professionals who have become self-employed or new business owners with my teleclass later this month.