It’s no secret that it’s still a tough job market out there. It can be hard to find any work, let alone the elusive dream job. And that’s only if you’re one of the few who can clearly articulate what that dream job is and how to get there.
Enter Nicole Orisich. Nicole’s a certified New York City-based career coach who specializes in helping people navigate career goal obstacles and transitions. “I provide my clients with a strategy to create the kind of lifestyle that connects who they really are with what they really want—even if they don't know what that is yet,” she says.
Career clarity hasn’t always been entirely obvious for Nicole, so it’s not lost on her that she now helps others relieve the same chaos and confusion. “Every bump and every mistake were all necessary in order for me to be here in this very moment.” Read on to see how she’s made those bumps work for her.
Animals have no problem following their natural instincts. But humans are so smart, we’ve figured out a way to ignore our natural (gut) instinct to the point of complete disbelief.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
A few years ago, I had a website for assistants. I had launched it as a platform for the career-based book I wrote, but I wrote the book, then didn’t attempt to publish it. Instead, I responded to my inner promptings to help people beyond the confines of their 9-to-5 jobs, and over time, that website morphed into the career coaching business I have today.
What does your job involve on a daily basis, and what types of responsibilities do you have in your position?
I’m a one-woman show: the coach, the marketer, the social media strategist, the blogger, the guest blogger, the student and the teacher. I’m the video editor, director and PR goddess. I think the only thing I’m not is the creative director (that’s my daughter’s job). My clients come first and everything else is in a constant battle for my attention.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Connecting with people on levels beyond the rat race is nourishment for me. Yes, I am a coach and I run a business, but my business is firmly rooted in love. The conversations that I have with my clients run deep and the trust factor is intense. I know that the talks shared between me and my clients are precious, and the ability to have someone in your life to share your most private feelings with is a real treasure. It’s an experience I’m in awe of and forever grateful for.
Is work/life balance ever a problem with you? If so, what is one no-fail tactic you use to create balance?
I don’t work on anything that doesn’t excite me—even the details of my to-do list. I just don’t do anything in life that doesn’t excite me.
If you think about it, you’ll agree that there’s a certain energy around doing things that don’t excite us. The tasks feel heavy, almost burdensome. We tend to either approach them with hesitation or in haste. When you’re tapped in to your personal workflow, you begin to recognize the projects that energize you and those that don’t. For example, if I have a spreadsheet to work on that I find to be a drag at 9 a.m., but am suddenly inspired to work on it at 3:30 p.m., that’s what I’ll do. I don’t force anything, but rather flow with everything.
Was there ever a moment in your career where you’ve thought, “I can't believe I have this job?" What was it?
The first time I received payment for my services, I could not believe that someone “believed in me enough” to actually pay for my help! I’ve always been who I am today, so I wasn’t insecure about my ability or expertise, but until I received my first payment, I had no idea that I was actually able to make money working for myself. When I saw the paid invoice, I could not believe I was an official career coach! I still get excited by the thought of that moment.
What are some of the rules you live by?
There’s really only one rule for me and that’s to follow your gut. As humans, we’re too smart for our own good. We love to analyze everything when the results really only give us a version of the truth of the matter, whatever the matter is. So what I do? I go with what feels right. I don’t question it to death. I don’t play games of “what if” in my mind. I just go with it; no questions asked.
You know, animals have no problem following their natural instincts. But humans are so smart, we’ve figured out a way to ignore our natural (gut) instinct to the point of complete disbelief.
What qualities does one need to possess to be successful in your line of work?
As a coach, it’s crucial you’re a listener. This is what we’re trained to be.
My personal belief, though, is that the most important quality is the ability to be yourself. People connect with people. I don’t sell my services to anyone or ever attempt to close a deal. I know when a client is for me in the same way most people know when they’ve met “the one.” So when clients meet me for the first time, the only best foot I put forward is a real one.
What one piece of advice do you wish you could tell a 21-year-old version of yourself?
Not one thing. Every bump and every mistake were all necessary in order for me to be here in this very moment. Now that I think of it, that’s what I would say—be sure to make lots of mistakes, because that’s where the growth is.