Simon Sinek: How to Find a Job You Love and Where You Excel

In Chapter 8 of 16 in his 2009 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, "Start With Why" author Simon Sinek asks why do we choose one job over another and why do we believe what we believe? Finding the right job, interviewing well, and enjoying work requires authenticity and reflection. Sinek advises others to find a job where you can naturally excel. This approach and questions propel both interviewees and interviewers to find the right fit.

Simon Sinek is a trained ethnographer who applies his curiosity around why people do what they do to teach leaders and companies how to inspire people. He is the author of "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". Sinek holds a BA degree in cultural anthropology from Brandeis University.

Watch all Simon Sinek Capture Your Flag videos:

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How does being authentic help you find the right job?

Simon Sinek: When people write their resumes it is like what I've done, what I've done, what I've done. The question is "why did you show up to work?" Why do I even have this resume? Why did you choose to work there? Why did you choose to work there? Why did you choose to quit and go there? It is not a bad thing to quit a job. If you realize you are a bad fit, get out of there and go somewhere else. So, the ability for us to talk about what we believe, why organizations exist, and why we choose one job over another increases the likelihood we will find jobs and employees that are good fits for the organization.

You should apply for the jobs where you have a weird visceral reaction to the organization. Sometimes that means going to meet them. When you go on an interview, just as much as you are they are interviewing you, you are interviewing them. This is where you are going to spend more time, in a week or in a day, than with your family or in your own home. If you don’t want to go there every day, don't go there every day. Wanting to go somewhere has nothing to do with how much money they will pay you. That will wear thin quickly when you hate your life.

The question is who are you going to work with, I'd like to meet the people I will have direct contact with, who is going to be my boss, who is going to be my mentor? What culture do you have here? You have to ask them questions, not about how much are you going to pay me and what are the benefits? Ask them what life is going to be like and if this is a place where you naturally excel?

[breakdancer]

finding the job you love is like looking for love itself, some people are lucky enough to find it, some die trying to find it. But it's better to dry trying to find it, than throwing in the towels and saying "there is no point, I'll never find it"

[nicholast]

Great point!! Those kinds of questions are so important to ask back to them

[racaciaruth]

Wow 🔥 yes!! Seek the job you love and fit in with the company and values that you love in them as an organization to excel. 🙏

[sagek]

Super helpful! I am so gonna read his book. You know you watch these videos trying to know something new but you realize that the content is  basically the only truth that you always knew! Lovely! Thank you. 

[KambalaKambonde-uwqi]

Simon I have no daught you inspired me more, keep it up and Mei the almighty bless you with everything you desire, Mr infinite game

[captureyourflag]

@Liucilla We agree with you. Not only is Simon's view point compelling but also the structure he provides to help us all think and plan more effectively!

[hydrolito]

Go back to college or if you can't afford college go to the public library and research stuff, can also do some research on the internet what do you like to do how can you improve at it? Do you know math, do you have fast hands maybe you could learn office work if you learned basic math, typing, filing, spelling, grammar, and speaking skills. Even minimum wage you have to know how to do something, be it clean, cook, or wait on tables.

[tubular]

i love this post! Coming from someone that's had 30 jobs at the age of 30, mind you many of them were very menial ones.  But the point is; never settle, you should always strive to to attain the best job that makes you happy.  Put money aside, because as this gentlemen said, it will wear thin very quickly if you hate your life. :)

[seanamurray]

Thank you for all these video posts and inspiration in a world of technology. I appreciate your vision and candor.

[captureyourflag]

Also there are free university classes online from the likes of Coursera and of course high school and college subjects via Khan Academy.

[captureyourflag]

Have you had a chance to watch the follow up annual interviews to this one? You can watch on the Simon Sinek Capture Your Flag playlist - to date we have released 3 years of interviews. Hope to blow your mind many more times with our content. Please send us feedback on topics that are relevant to you. Please let us know what you like and what could be better. - Erik

[captureyourflag]

Have you watched our Interview Playlist with all our Simon Sinek videos? There are now about 50. Also check out our Mentoring Video playlist. You can get both on our YouTube channel page.

Please let us know what content and messages connect with you! - Erik

[SavageSenzu]

Wow I really like this guy. I'm only 18 and had one job for about 4 months from July to October of 2010. I just stopped going because it wasn't worth it. It wasn't organized there were not alot of employees at all which made it alot more work than anyone person can handle and I never had a legit schedule. So I stopped going. Why would I keep going to a job that didn't work for me. Now im really discouraged to even look anywhere else because I'm afraid nothing will be better and that it's all th

[captureyourflag]

How did your job search go or how is it going? Have you watched any of our Jullien Gordon interviews? Good career advice / coaching insight there. Also try our Coaching video playlist - you can find it on our channel.

Please let us know how we can help! Happy to recommend content that is tailored to your needs. - Erik

[captureyourflag]

@jninlove One point Simon makes is to remember the interview and job search process involves two-way communication. That openness creates more valuable, lasting, and, frankly, enjoyable bonds that allow one to thrive in an organizational culture.

[jninlove]

Dear Mr. Sinek..Thank you for your inspiration. I have a job now but I can't find any fun in it and I wish I have the gut feel to move beyond to somewhere I can fit and enjoy!!

[Liucilla]

Wow, this gives me so much to think about.

[dimebagplan]

After watching few videos of this guy, i have to say that is became my mentor.

[captureyourflag]

Check out our videos with Jullien Gordon to learn more about how you can better understand your skills and market yourself as a job candidate or prospective student.

[springwinds]

Don’t know where is that somewhere else 🤔