Beyoncé's Message for Career Changers: Sasha Fierce has a Job for You

Most people know Beyoncé as the fearless megastar known for her killer vocals and sexy dance moves. But who you're actually singing along to is Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé's alter-ego.

Many people don't know that Beyoncé is actually kind of shy, and she needed an alter-ego to help her become the superstar she is today. So she developed another version of herself-- the confident, booty-shaking diva version, Sasha Fierce. Beyoncé wants to stay home with her babies and drink tea. Sasha Fierce wants to shine her megawatt light all over the universe in a glittery unitard. Beyoncé wants to watch Netflix and snuggle with Jay-Z. Sasha Fierce wants to twerk up and down the stage at the world's largest outdoor music festival while bringing awareness to the plight of girls around the world. See how Beyoncé needed some help to share her gifts?

Lately I've been working with more and more people who are either returning to work after an absence or wanting to shift gears after a long and successful career in an area they no longer find interesting. It doesn't seem to matter if they are male or female, laid off or currently employed. What I'm noticing is a tendency to undervalue their own experience and talent in the face of an intimidating change. This leads them to write their resume and speak in interviews from a timid, underwhelming perspective that convinces no one to give them a job.
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When you're job hunting, the feeling of scarcity and competition is very real. It seems like the other 412 people who applied for the position you want got there first, know exactly what to say, and their resume is a sparkly diamond of relevant experience. Meanwhile, it's easy to feel like no one is even going to look at your resume, because HR is actually a robot trained to look for key words. So why even bother? Well I'll tell you why you should bother. Because you are both Beyoncé and Sasha Fierce, you just haven't identified your sexy, confident, job-dominating alter-ego yet. But you will. Here's how.

1. Write down all of your skills. All of them. From typing 60 words a minute to writing code to running a 9 minute mile to baking the best damn blueberry pie anyone's ever tasted. Work related, not work related, everything. There should be at least 50 things on this list. If you feel like you're bragging you're doing it right. If you are running out of ideas, check your Linkedin endorsements and ask a friend what you're good at. Do not spend more than an hour on this.
2. Think of 3 people you admire, living or dead. These people should be really good at what they do- be it something as simple as listening, to something more complex like leading a nation.
3. Write down everything you have in common with the 3 people you admire. If I admire Gandhi, for example, I may not have led a non-violent revolution, but maybe I do value non-violence, have a law background, and believe in the power of meditation. The things you have in common go on your list of skills.
4. Choose your favorite, most powerful skills from the list. The things that make you puff up your chest and go, “I'm not so bad. I can do cool stuff.”
5. Choose a name and identity for your alter-ego. This personality doesn't have to share your gender or culture. You get to choose whatever you want, as long as it feels powerful and confident and charismatic. Decide what this person's backstory is, and make sure they have the qualities you chose in step 4 as your favorite, most powerful skills... plus a couple of skills that you maybe don't see your regular self demonstrating. You must see yourself in this version of you, while still leaving some qualities to aspire to. If it helps you to birth this new version of yourself, draw it!
   
   

​This person lives inside of you. If you are able to dream them up, they exist, if only in your mind. THIS is the person who is going to apply to jobs for you from now on. Graham the CEO, Ms. Stella Moneybags, whomever they are, they work for you now. They will write your resume with a level of confidence and charisma that you hadn't felt appropriate before. They will decide what you wear to the interview and how you walk into the room. They will know in their gut that you are doing that company a favor for even considering applying.

You have this person in your corner all the time. They are your secret weapon of confidence and aplomb. You don't have to worry about maintaining your composure in an interview when Graham the CEO is doing the talking. Graham speaks with all of your experience, and way more power. Ms. Stella Moneybags isn't going to apply to a bunch of jobs that are beneath you simply because she CAN. What's that? She's going for the gold because she knows you two DESERVE it. You aren't asking your alter-ego to look for jobs you aren't qualified for-- you're telling her to find the jobs that she knows you are capable of, but haven't allowed yourself to apply, or haven't allowed yourself to apply for WELL, in a way that shows off your talents.
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It may sound ridiculous, but it works. If you are lacking confidence and faith that your job is out there, it may be time to play pretend. “Fake it till you make it” isn't faking it when you have that person inside of you. You ARE that confident person, you simply misplaced him or her. So strut your stuff, Sasha Fierce. People are waiting for your brilliance. 

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