Why you should stop chasing your “dream job” (w/ Emily the Recruiter) | from Fixable

**Modupe** (0:06)
Hi, everyone, it's Modupe here.
Today, we're sharing an episode of a podcast we think you'll love. It's been handpicked by the TED staff, and we think that as TED Business listeners, you'll come away with a fresh idea and a totally new perspective. Enjoy, and head to the link in the description for more.

**Emily Durham** (0:29)
I think we all need to start operating rather with the audacity of someone who is unaware that the answer could be no.
Like my biggest piece of advice is there is someone grossly underqualified, arguably bad at their job, getting a raise every single year. You want to know why? Because they're dumb enough to ask.

**Anne Morris** (0:49)
This is Fixable, a show where we take the problems at work that feel unfixable and prove that they're not. I'm Anne Morris, and we are back with another installment of our Purpose at Work series.
Today, we're getting down to the brass tacks of how to find purposeful work and how to build a meaningful career that's connected to your purpose. Our guest today is someone who spent years in the trenches of hiring. You may know her as Emily the Recruiter on social media, where she shares practical, refreshingly honest career advice with millions of followers. Emily Durham has decoded the recruiting process from every possible angle. She's worked inside companies on the recruiting side, she's helped the job seekers knock in on the door, to figure out the process. She's coached people through the biggest professional decisions of their lives. She's also the author of the fantastic new book, Clock In, No BS Advice for Getting Ahead in Your Career Without Losing Your Mind. I love her voice and her work and I'm thrilled to welcome Emily to the show today.
Emily Durham, welcome to Fixable.

**Emily Durham** (2:07)
Thank you for having me, I'm so excited.

**Anne Morris** (2:09)
Very mutual. Congrats on your terrific new book.

**Emily Durham** (2:13)
Thank you.

**Anne Morris** (2:14)
I loved it. So this month on the show, we are tackling this question of purpose and how to find meaning at work.
You've written that find your passion is terrible career advice. So what is wrong with passion, Emily?

**Emily Durham** (2:29)
Ah, well, here's the thing. If you are one of the lucky few who find passion and all of your other needs met with work, oh my God, I love that for you. Like, that's the ideal state. But I think telling people that we have to be passionate about work is basically telling people the most interesting thing about you is what you do Monday to Friday. And I think that's really crummy.
I think the way that we talk about work and fulfillment has not really adjusted with the way the world has changed around us. And one of the things I talk a lot about in my book is this Jersey Shore style metaphor or acronym rather, called VPL in lieu of GTL.
And VPL really stands for your validation, your purpose and your lifestyle. And I really think those are the three core needs that we need to meet with work. Because if you've got a job that meets your lifestyle, maybe the pay is fantastic, but you feel like there's no purpose and your boss doesn't validate you, treats you really crummy, you're gonna hate that job sooner than later. So in lieu of chasing passion, I think we should create a life that hits our VPL, a life that we are passionate about. And at certain stages, work fits into that and sometimes it doesn't, and that's okay.

**Anne Morris** (3:37)
So I love your VPL framework and purpose is there in the stack. You're just saying, if I'm hearing you correctly, these other two things also matter. Why are these distinctions important for people to really think about?

**Emily Durham** (3:52)
I think the purpose is definitely in there, but the goal that we've been raised with is we need to find that validation, that purpose, that lifestyle exclusively through work. My push is, let's look at the entirety of our lives and see how work is one of those contributing factors. Because in a world like today where companies we used to trust are now laying folks off with 6 a.m. cold emails, if all of our VPL or all of our purpose comes from work, it's even more disturbing when we get that taken away from us or when our employment situation can shift and change. So it's really about creating stability and as many pots as possible.

**Anne Morris** (4:29)
And then is this the same reason you're sceptical of a dream job?

**Emily Durham** (4:33)
I think so. I am. And again, if you're someone where it's like, listen, I'm working my dream job, I'm passionate about everything, goodness gracious, I could not love that for you more than I do.