Had to grin when working with a client recently on finding their first part-time job and the lesson about asking "Why?" was reinforced. This person was absolutely dead set on working at a Chick-fil-A, and would allow no other options for their part-time work search. No McDonald's, no Burger King, no Subway, no In and Out, no No NO!
Rather than react impatiently or with judgement on this feeling, I simply asked "Why Chick-fil-A?" The answer came back that this person loves playing tennis with their sibling on Sunday afternoons, they have done this for years almost every week, and they wanted this tradition to continue...and Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays.
This ability REALLY mattered to this client, and who am I to judge what goes into a complete and fulfilling life? I gently suggested that perhaps they could specify that they were not able to work on Sunday afternoons at places they might apply, and that this would allow many more potential job applications and thus potentially more interviews and job options. The client brightened and agreed that this would work, and so our effort to find a part-time job continued, but with much broader parameters and hopefully a greater chance of success!
Ask "Why?" and listen to answers...you might be able to present options to job seekers that they had not knew existed, and increase their job-seeking velocity!
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