Arctic blast has hit us in the northern states. Along with the cold air has come about five to seven inches of snow. So as in a seasonal ritual, I pull out the snow blower from the rear of the garage and bring it forward, and consider how to start it for the first time since last winter. While in the process, I begin to consider how care, and starting of the snow blower is like management of a career. Stay with me. This will make sense. But before I dive into the analogy, let me describe the process for care, and preparation to start up a snow blower.
Really preparation for easily starting a snow blower starts at the end of the last winter. All gas is the same – right? Incorrect. I have learned over the years that it is best not to leave ethanol (most gas in the US has ethanol) gas in a snow blower over the several months of storage until next Winter. The reason is ethanol gas will actually melt the plastic parts in the snow blower carburetor if left in the snow blower for several months. The first step in preparation for easy starting of the snow blower next winter is to fill the snow blower with non-ethanol gas. Where I live Shell V-Power tends to be the easiest to find. But there is more to the consideration of gas – as the snow blower will sit several months unused, and the gas will become stale. To extend the life of the gas several months, I also treat the gas in the snow blower with a fuel stabilizer. Stay-Bil is the most popular of the fuel stabilizers out there, and can be found at hardware stores, and auto parts stores.
Beyond preparation around fuel, it is best to consider what other things might be helpful when starting the snow blower next winter, and have some important spare parts on hand. The most important of these is a spare spark plug. Spark plugs can become fouled, or simply wear out. When the temperature is cold it is easiest to swap in a new spark plug if you have trouble starting the snow blower. While on the topic of spark plugs, make sure to have a socket and ratchet on hand to change the plug. The time to think this through, and make preparations is before the winter starts. It will make life much easier when Winter hits and the time comes to start the snow blower for the first time in the season.
The last item to have on hand might turn out to be the most important. This is starter fluid. This is a spray of highly flammable propellant. It can usually be found at hardware, and auto parts stores. If you have laid best preparation, but your snow blower still refuses to start, you can remove the spark plug and spray starter fluid into the cylinder – replace the plug, and pull the starter cable and if you are getting spark, you will ignite the starter fluid in the cylinder and should get ignition – starting the snow blower. And indeed, this was the process I had to use this week in starting my snow blower. Despite best preparation – the snow blower being un-started for several months, and being uncooperative in the frigid temperatures, starter fluid did the trick. I was off and running and made short order of the snow in my driveway.
So now we arrive at my analogy. A career can be like a snow blower in that we try to make best preparations to keep things in order, and prepare for the next start. Our preparation may include a college degree, and certifications. It may even include seeking out jobs that build our skill set, and set us up for promotions. But after a while, we just work our jobs. Consideration of Career goes dormant. But then something happens and we need a re-start.
This “something” might be a layoff. Or it might be a loss of an important client that makes us feel uncertain about our future. Or it might be a change in management that we do not see eye to eye with. But something happens that we need to restart our career. But despite our best planning, we can’t get going. We have trouble re-starting our career. In thinking of the snow blower, we remember that starting fluid was the magic catalyst to get things moving. In the realm of career restarts, a professional, such as a Career Coach, or Career Consultant can be the catalyst to get our Career moving again.
A good Career professional, like a career coach, or career consultant will work with you to assess your current situation (this part is important), and work with you to understand the job tasks, and positions that will be most fulfilling for you, and those that will compliment your skills, and desires the best. A great career professional will work with you to identify your career vision, and break this vision down into a workable plan with regular deliverables. In short, they will hold you to task.
Hopefully you have done your career planning well. You have obtained important credentials, and certifications. You may have prepared yourself for a change by seeking out jobs that increase your skill set, and position you well for promotion. But if you are in desperate need to make a change, and are having trouble getting started, getting traction, engage with a career professional. They are the potent starter fluid you need to move forward. They will light a fire and get you making traction FAST.
Author: Brian Kail, MBA, CPC is a professional Career Coach, and Business Consultant. For more information see AscendProCoach.com
Really preparation for easily starting a snow blower starts at the end of the last winter. All gas is the same – right? Incorrect. I have learned over the years that it is best not to leave ethanol (most gas in the US has ethanol) gas in a snow blower over the several months of storage until next Winter. The reason is ethanol gas will actually melt the plastic parts in the snow blower carburetor if left in the snow blower for several months. The first step in preparation for easy starting of the snow blower next winter is to fill the snow blower with non-ethanol gas. Where I live Shell V-Power tends to be the easiest to find. But there is more to the consideration of gas – as the snow blower will sit several months unused, and the gas will become stale. To extend the life of the gas several months, I also treat the gas in the snow blower with a fuel stabilizer. Stay-Bil is the most popular of the fuel stabilizers out there, and can be found at hardware stores, and auto parts stores.
Beyond preparation around fuel, it is best to consider what other things might be helpful when starting the snow blower next winter, and have some important spare parts on hand. The most important of these is a spare spark plug. Spark plugs can become fouled, or simply wear out. When the temperature is cold it is easiest to swap in a new spark plug if you have trouble starting the snow blower. While on the topic of spark plugs, make sure to have a socket and ratchet on hand to change the plug. The time to think this through, and make preparations is before the winter starts. It will make life much easier when Winter hits and the time comes to start the snow blower for the first time in the season.
The last item to have on hand might turn out to be the most important. This is starter fluid. This is a spray of highly flammable propellant. It can usually be found at hardware, and auto parts stores. If you have laid best preparation, but your snow blower still refuses to start, you can remove the spark plug and spray starter fluid into the cylinder – replace the plug, and pull the starter cable and if you are getting spark, you will ignite the starter fluid in the cylinder and should get ignition – starting the snow blower. And indeed, this was the process I had to use this week in starting my snow blower. Despite best preparation – the snow blower being un-started for several months, and being uncooperative in the frigid temperatures, starter fluid did the trick. I was off and running and made short order of the snow in my driveway.
So now we arrive at my analogy. A career can be like a snow blower in that we try to make best preparations to keep things in order, and prepare for the next start. Our preparation may include a college degree, and certifications. It may even include seeking out jobs that build our skill set, and set us up for promotions. But after a while, we just work our jobs. Consideration of Career goes dormant. But then something happens and we need a re-start.
This “something” might be a layoff. Or it might be a loss of an important client that makes us feel uncertain about our future. Or it might be a change in management that we do not see eye to eye with. But something happens that we need to restart our career. But despite our best planning, we can’t get going. We have trouble re-starting our career. In thinking of the snow blower, we remember that starting fluid was the magic catalyst to get things moving. In the realm of career restarts, a professional, such as a Career Coach, or Career Consultant can be the catalyst to get our Career moving again.
A good Career professional, like a career coach, or career consultant will work with you to assess your current situation (this part is important), and work with you to understand the job tasks, and positions that will be most fulfilling for you, and those that will compliment your skills, and desires the best. A great career professional will work with you to identify your career vision, and break this vision down into a workable plan with regular deliverables. In short, they will hold you to task.
Hopefully you have done your career planning well. You have obtained important credentials, and certifications. You may have prepared yourself for a change by seeking out jobs that increase your skill set, and position you well for promotion. But if you are in desperate need to make a change, and are having trouble getting started, getting traction, engage with a career professional. They are the potent starter fluid you need to move forward. They will light a fire and get you making traction FAST.
Author: Brian Kail, MBA, CPC is a professional Career Coach, and Business Consultant. For more information see AscendProCoach.com
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