The end-of-year holidays are over. The decorations have been put away for another 11 months, and those New Year resolutions are still fresh and have yet to be abandoned. After the lull of the last two weeks of December, both job seekers and hiring companies are ramping up their efforts. During those last two lazy weeks of 2024, I noticed more than a few LinkedIn users posting that all they wanted for the holidays was a new job. Some even went so far as to post something like, “Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is a new job!”
I cringed whenever I saw these posts. I recently blogged about how begging for a job is not a smart strategy. To reiterate the main point of that blog, desperation will not get you a job. A job is not a gift. A job is earned through expertise and a record of success in delivering results.
Work can reinforce the belief in one’s abilities and foster a growth mindset, encouraging continuous learning and improvement. That said, I encourage you not to ask for a job as a gift but to reframe your thinking and see work as a gift to yourself—a gift of opportunity. Work affords you the opportunity to apply your talents in a tangible way, with a regular reward. And no, I’m not talking about the Puritan idea of salvation through labor and suffering. I’m talking about the personal satisfaction that comes from being paid for your knowledge and expertise.
Work or a job?
Many people conflate the “work” with “job,” although the two have distinct meanings. A job is a set of tasks that you perform on a regular basis in return for a set benefit. To move forward in your career, you may be promoted from one job to another or find a job somewhere else – the job itself is static while you move around. We use the word ‘work’ to refer to something we need to do. This means it’s an activity that serves a purpose – it isn’t just something you want to do. You can also want to do it, but it must meet a need. Your job is a form of work – if you weren’t paid, you wouldn’t turn up. You build your reputation upon your work, which goes with you from job to job throughout your career. The opportunity to do honest, meaningful work, to apply your gifts and talents for the benefit of others and ultimately for yourself, is still a gift and one not to be taken for granted.
The Bottom Line
There was a time in preceding generations when work was scarcer than it is today, and as a result, the gift of a job may have been more naturally appreciated. Times evolve. I think we can all confidently say that the opportunities for work are much more plentiful today than generations ago, partly due to worker mobility, partly due to technological advances, and partly due to a more advanced and stable economy. We are all fortunate to benefit from all of that.
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