Quest for the True North

The Hedgehog Concept

Filed under career, people, personal

When I was 19, I attended a career and leadership training wherein the speaker introduced us to the Hedgehog Concept. At that time, like many students about to finish college, I didn’t know where I was going or what was ahead of me. I was very passionate about journalism,  but I wasn’t sure where it would take me or if it could support the life that I wanted. The Hedgehog Concept changed that. I applied it to my life, and it hasn’t left me ever since. I still use it in making important decisions.

Today, I think I already know where I want to be for the long haul. I feel immensely blessed that I found my niche early, and that it gives me the challenges that I need and provides for the lifestyle that I want. I am very grateful to that man for sharing what he knew. I was prepared early. I saved precious time.

The Hedgehog Concept is simply a Venn diagram of (1) your passion, interests, and hobbies, (2) specialties and skills, and (3) the job market or the times. Somewhere in the middle, the three intersect, and that is your place under the sun.

Sometimes the job that we want cannot provide for us economically, or there may not be room for it in the job market. We don’t live in a vacuum–we live in a dynamic world run by the times. We must be in tune with our surroundings. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Caldwell wrote how successful men and women have roughly the same birth years.  

Many job specialists say that it is not true that job-hunting is hard–they say that there’s just a mismatch between the market and the courses that college kids take. I’d like to believe that. Everyday, when you check the job search websites and job fairs, you can see thousands of jobs up for grabs. I can well attest that the two employers I have had had difficulties hiring people. It took them many months, sometimes even a year, to fill a position.

Also, not many people know that less than 20% of companies advertise in newspapers. A lesser percentage advertise online. Most employers do not advertise their vacancies. They would rather look for people through the networks of their employees. I think it is also better if an employer looks for you rather than you look for an employer, because that way you could leverage for a better pay and better benefits package. It means they want you. In advertised jobs, competition is tough, and you are just one of hundreds of applicants. They could easily turn to the next qualified candidate who is willing to get a lesser pay.

In my own experience, job-hunting should not be miserable. My two jobs so far just sort of fell into my lap. I could be just lucky, but I wasn’t lucky for no reason. I was not very shy ;), plus I was prepared with the right skills when the opportunities knocked.

Sometimes, too, the jobs that pay well may not give us the challenges that we need or the long-term growth that we want. We might even hate it. We might not be made for it. That is alright, and that is why there’s the hedgehog concept. It’s sort of like having a negotiation with yourself. If you were three people who want different things and you want peace, then there are some things that you should have and some that you can give up.

What I did at 19 was list down (1) my passion, interests, and hobbies, (2) specialties and skills, and (3) the job market or the times. The result was a career in information technology, and that’s where I am right now. I get to write, which I love to do and where I am relatively good at, and I was able to apply what I learned in journalism school. I also get to use my brain a lot, which is important to me, because I can’t stand no-brainer jobs. I get to travel sometimes, which I love to do too, and I am in the heart of technology, which is one of my interests. I am also satisfied with my pay and working environment.

I  believe that somewhere out there, there’s a job that we are passionate about, where we are good at, and pays well, that is for us. I was very picky and idealistic when I started out, but I found it. There’s no reason you can’t.