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This is an iHeart Podcast.
Get IPVanish now for 70% off a yearly plan with this exclusive offer at IPVanish.com slash audio. Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's tip is to ask people what surprised them about their jobs or about anything in life really, so you don't face the same surprises yourself.
Today's tip comes from Tessa West's book, Job Therapy, Finding Work That Works for You. West is a psychology professor at New York University and an expert on social relationships and communication at work. In Job Therapy, West helps readers figure out why they're not happy at work and find a job where they will thrive. Now, I'm sure that many people listening to this are quite happy with their jobs. But even if you plan on staying where you are, it can be worth analyzing the situation.
and figuring out ways that you can do your best. In her book, West advises that when you are exploring a job, ask those working in that job to finish this sentence. Before I started this job, nobody told me that... She explains that this will help you learn the hidden curriculum before you start the new job, and be better able to figure out whether the workplace and the role would be a good fit.
I think this is a good question to ask in lots of contexts beyond new jobs. There are all sorts of things in life that aren't publicly advertised, but that people learn over time, sometimes the hard way. West writes about a national public radio project called I Was Absent That Day, about things people had to learn as an adult. I'm sure we have all got things that we've learned quite belatedly in life, asking people what nobody told them.
will help reveal some of the hidden curriculum in any situation. So, for instance, before you start a new project, you might ask people who've worked with a particular client what nobody told them about that client. If you are transferring to a new location, you can ask people there what nobody told them about that place. And you can ask this in context beyond work, too. If your kids are going to a new school, ask other parents what nobody told them about the school.
If you move into a new neighborhood or join a new club, this question could be relevant. What did nobody tell you about signing up for after-school activities around here? What did nobody tell you about hiring a contractor to renovate your kitchen? What did nobody tell you about owning a beach house? Maybe that the ocean is beautiful, but you'll be doing constant maintenance because being by the ocean is rough on a house. You probably need to build that into your budget. At work and in many aspects of our life,
Things we need to know often go unspoken, but with a well-chosen question posed to helpful people, you may not have to figure out everything the hard way. Somebody may tell you the things you need to know, and then maybe you can repay the favor by passing that knowledge along to someone else. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast.
If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at laura at lauravandercam.com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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Welcome to Pretty Private with Eboné, the podcast where silence is broken and stories are set free. I'm Eboné, and every Tuesday, I'll be sharing all new anonymous stories that would challenge your perceptions and give you new insight on the people around you. Every Tuesday, make sure you listen to Pretty Private from the Black Effect Podcast Network. Tune in on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
This is an iHeart Podcast.