Seller of Service
Some people have it—most likely learned from or modeled after a parent or relative—but not always. Sometimes, it's just there, built-in, and part of their personality from the get-go. I'm referring to a combination of characteristics that describe successful people in the Marketplace. These traits could include diligence, punctuality, responsibility, perseverance, a positive attitude, and many more—things any employer would like to see in an employee or, for that matter, in a vendor.
These attributes fall under the soft skills category. They are great to have but, unlike hard skills, difficult to train for. It seems there's a required intangible foundation for them to stay or stick. Here again, some folks have such a foundation, others don't.
What happens if this foundation is missing? How can you get or develop it? One pathway leads to and through the "school of hard knocks"—experience, requiring a lot of trial and error, which can be problematic for the background-challenged person. And, of course, experience isn't forthcoming if you can't get your foot in the door in the first place.
Another way comes from a hack to experience and the school of hard knocks. This workaround happens before getting to the trial and error of experience—which can go well or not. If the experience is negative, it will likely reinforce preexisting attitudes and lead to a hardening of one's outlook, "See, just like I thought, screwed again." Or, if the experience is positive, a revelation, an "Oh wow, things turned out okay" realization. The hack hedges the bet on experience going south because the background-challenged job seeker may get only a few (good) chances.
So, what is it that short circuits learning by experience?
A change in perspective.
It starts with seeing oneself as a Free Agent, being the pilot of the vessel that is you and your life—having agency. Getting to this step also necessitates changing one's mindset and perspective, which isn't easy for folks accustomed to being dependent and reactive. Furthermore, being a Free Agent and a Seller of Service needs context. The question, "How and where does all this stuff fit together?" requires an answer. So here it is, the Marketplace, the field of play where all work occurs.
How can we bring about a change in perspective? After all, things like this are hard-wired, if not burned into, many who find themselves on the reentry path. True. Bringing about change of this sort takes effort and is difficult to measure. Helpers often skip or skim over it—a big mistake. Sending job seekers out into the Marketplace without allowing them to reset their perspective is like playing the lottery. Many will fail immediately, which isn't good, but it should happen early while there's time to adjust. Failure that comes later, after initial progress, can be catastrophic, leading to a return to the dark places that existed before attempting to reenter.
So, introduce these concepts as a connected set early in the reentry process: Free Agency, Seller of Service, and Marketplace, with the following message delivered repeatedly and through multiple channels from helper to helpee:
Like everyone else, you are a Free Agent operating in the Marketplace. You will sell your services to a customer, usually your employer. Your goal is to see yourself as a self-contained, independent business with a clear-eyed view of what the Marketplace is and isn't. Your job is to deliver the best service possible to your customer for as long as you need or desire.
You want this change in mindset and outlook for those you are helping move forward on the reentry journey. There's more that comes with it, such as strategies and objectives unique to each person reentering. However, these and other reentry puzzle parts are building blocks that need the foundation provided by these three concepts.
Think of it this way: the change in perspective brought about by acceptance of these foundational ideas is like putting on a metaphorical seat belt, protection against the inevitable speedbumps and potholes sure to come.
Onward!