Why You Should View Your Career as a Series of Experiences
How To Take The Snoop Dogg Approach To Your Career
I once had a manager ask me what kind of experiences I wanted to gain while in my position. At that time, I had just moved into human resources, and, oddly enough, it was a question I hadn’t been asked before, at least not that way.
I had never viewed career development as “gaining critical experiences.”
So, that idea has always stuck with me.
What if you didn’t have to worry about climbing a ladder? What kind of experiences would you want to gain? What would it look like to stop trying to race to the next level—and instead take an experience-based approach to your career?
How would it feel to forget about pursuing traditional symbols of “success”—rank, salary, title, awards, mentions, promotions—and instead be able to treat each opportunity that comes your way as another experience accumulated in the adventure that is life?
I imagine a career like that might look like Snoop Dogg’s—and if he’s any indication, it just might be the secret to flourishing success.
The Snoop Dogg Career Approach
“Life is too short to not have fun; we are only here for a short time compared to the sun and the moon and all that.” – Snoop Dogg
Calvin Broadus, Jr., more commonly known as Snoop Dogg, has taken a unique career path, and I find his “laid-back from way back” approach to his career, brand, and business inspiring.
Rather than limiting himself to some stereotypical box reserved for 90s gangsta rappers, Snoop has embraced seemingly every opportunity (or sidequests, as the internet likes to call them) that has come his way.
From making mashed potatoes with Martha Stewart to serving as Special Correspondent at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Snoop Dogg has never ceased to amaze us.
Sometimes, it can feel like we’re some sort of worldwide audience excitedly watching Snoop cross items off his bucket list and wondering how he can possibly surprise us again. And yet he does, and he makes it look like so much fun.
Well before he served as Special Correspondent at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he carried the Olympic torch and attempted sports such as swimming, fencing, and running track to hilarious and often heart-warming results, Snoop Dogg was already apparently set on experiencing everything his career had to offer, including:
- Singing with Willie Nelson and dipping into gospel music
- Narrating Animal Planet and also starring in a Bollywood film
- Working drive-thru at Raising Cane’s to customers’ surprise
- Launching a line of cannabis products and launching wine
- Dropping a People’s Elbow as “The Doggfather of WrestleMania”
- Competing on a wholesome episode of Family Feud with his family
- Judging singing competitions
- Embracing his inner artist and getting his paintings exhibited in galleries
- Becoming a certified football coach, starting a youth football league, and coaching hundreds of inner-city kids
- Creating an animated children’s television series and giving us “Affirmation Song.” (If you haven’t heard it yet, I highly recommend it. You might even want to start your day with it!)
Seriously. I started researching for this article, and the list could go on and on, but you get the idea.
You may have heard the phrase “jack of all trades, but master of none,” but very few people actually know the full quote:
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
– William Shakespeare
Shakespeare and Snoop may be onto something.
So Are Side Quests The Secret To Career Success?
In my own life, thinking about the experiences I want to gain since that conversation with my manager years ago has been exponentially more motivating (and rewarding) than continuing to worry about going up and to the left in my career.
That initial question helped me think about the type of work within HR that generated my energy, specifically recruiting and talent development (which *surprise, surprise* is directly related to what I do today!).
I began to think about my career “success” in terms of the experiences gained rather than money made or promotions achieved. That gentle shift in perspective helped me seek opportunities that generate my energy and cultivate my spirit.
Now, years later, having left the corporate world and working as a solopreneur, this is the only way I think about my career planning: What new experiences would be fun? (I’m working on a few secret projects right now and can’t wait to share them!)
So why stay stuck in some predetermined trajectory when you can take the “Snoop Dogg Approach” to your career? From experience, I can tell you it’ll change your career—and your life.
How To Use Experiential Learning To Achieve Career Change
“When I’m no longer rapping, I want to open up an ice cream parlor and call myself Scoop Dogg.”
– Snoop Dogg
Taking an experience-based approach to your career (experiential learning) is a great way to begin taking steps toward big and small career changes.
If you’re in a role and you’d like to move somewhere else, take on new experiences related to your future role. For example, someone who works in the food and beverage industry and wants to move into health/wellness might take on an experience as the wellness team lead at their current company, where they can help design wellness strategies, programs, etc. They then gain experience related to the industry they want to pursue while still working in their current role.
Or maybe you’re someone who has been feeling a little stagnant in your role. Perhaps you don’t want to make a big change, but you know you want to do something else. Experiential learning is perfect for this. Ask yourself what you would like to learn and take a class. For example, join Toastmasters to gain experience in public speaking. This can be an enriching experience that will help you grow without making a significant change.
We often adopt a career trajectory based on our limited knowledge of the current landscape, and after years in a position, we may see no way out. Exploring new experiences inside and outside of work is an excellent way to illuminate your next steps to a flourishing career.
Next—Become A Master Of The Experience-Based Resume
We know that pursuing experiences can provide far greater value than pursuing traditional symbols of “success”—but will potential employers see it that way?
Yes and no. Experiences showcase versatility, adaptability, and a rich skill set, but it may come across as unfocused if not curated thoughtfully. In crafting an experience-based resume, it’s important to be clear about what you want the reader to know about you and tailor your experiences accordingly.
As a former recruiter turned career coach, I love to talk about resumes and what makes the good ones pop. If you’re hoping to craft a cohesive and experience-based resume, here are my top 4 tips on how to do it:
1. Focus on the experiences most relevant to the position you’re applying for. Highlight the skills and achievements gained from those experiences that align with the job description to demonstrate a cohesive career narrative.
2. Emphasize how each experience has contributed to your professional growth. Use phrases like “expanded skill set” or “developed expertise in” to show that each experience was a stepping stone in your career development.
3. Highlight the transferable skills and accomplishments that can be applied to the job you’re seeking. Even if you’ve worked in different industries, focusing on core skills like leadership, communication, problem-solving, and innovation can tie your experiences together.
4. Most importantly—create a cohesive narrative that aligns with your HEART-based aspirations. Want help crafting a compelling professional narrative from your unique story? The Flourish Careers Branding Toolkit is perfect for that!
HEART-Based Career Planning Advice—From Tha Doggfather
- Find what gives you energy—not drains it.
“I’m divin’ in, I’m divin’’out, sheddin’ negative energy, I’m swimmin’ in strength.” – Snoop Dogg
Far too many of us feel stuck in energy-draining careers—and they can leave us completely exhausted. Recognizing “negative energy” (as Snoop calls it) or “energy drainers” (as I call them) is the key to change. We “swim in strength” when we do what lights us up.
- Incorporate microsteps.
“I want to write, direct, produce—but in steps. I want to take steps. I don’t want to just jump in because I sold a lot of records and just feel like I can jump into the movie world. Naw, I want to learn the movie world like I learned the music world.” — Snoop Dogg
I love how Snoop Dogg knows the power of microsteps because the evidence is out, and it’s so true: Significant change often happens one small step at a time.
- Adopt a growth mindset.
“I just change with the times. I really don’t have a say in what’s going on. Music was here before me.” — Snoop Dogg
Snoop knows how to go with the flow, and it’s something we can all learn to do. Change begins in the mind. As you adopt a growth mindset, keep yourself open to new (and often unexpected—even amazing) opportunities. They’ll lead to your flourishing new life.
- Stay true to you.
“It’s a lesson: to let the world see growth—how somebody can go from being hated, banned from countries, thrown in jail, to now America’s most lovable person. But it’s the same person.” — Snoop Dogg
People who avoid growth sometimes do so because they view change as inauthentic. “This is just who I am. I can’t change that. I’m stuck.” But that doesn’t have to be the case. Growth is a journey leading you to your truest, most authentic self.
- Find your people.
“The most important decision I’ve made in business? The choices of people I have around me.” — Snoop Dogg
As you plan your career with HEART-based intentions, the right people can make a difference. Look for a group like The Gathering Ground, where members celebrate each other’s successes, big and small, and offer encouragement in pursuing new ideas and career paths. Better yet? Join us!
- Give back.
“That’s how we do it in the black community; we give back to the people who made us who we are. We never forget that.” — Snoop Dogg
When you give back from a place of gratitude, good things will come to you.
Additionally, giving back can help accelerate your career. You can learn new skills, build connections with like-minded people, and cultivate a valuable community.
How Flourish Careers Can Help
Since you found me, you’re likely considering a career change packed with memorable learning experiences.
As a career coach and consultant, I’ve had the honor of helping thousands of professionals worldwide find the experiences, places, and positions where they can truly flourish—and I can help you, too.
So, let’s chat. I’m here to help.
