So what’s being painted blue got to do with careers?

So what’s being painted blue got to do with careers? Kate Woods, a recent graduate from our MA Career Development and Coaching course, shares her thoughts…

You might have noticed a news story recently about an art work called The Sea of Hull where volunteers painted themselves blue and posed en masse for Spencer Tunick the artist. What’s that got to do with careers? Well I think it embodies (pun intended) some of the key ideas of how we can manage our own career paths: those of curiosity, being open to experience and getting outside our comfort zone.

The thing about our career is that it’s all in the future and the future is unknowable. There’s good research in this area of career management that says that one way to navigate a future career is to remain curious about the possibilities that the world might offer, always be ready to make new connections and be happy to try new things even if they are difficult or uncomfortable. Which is why I found myself at 5am one Saturday in the centre of Hull, painted blue, laying on the tarmac and feeling rather chilly along with 3,200 people as an artist took a photograph.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHpZT-tgJnT/

The images taken by photographer Spencer Tunick will be exhibited during 2017’s UK City of Culture events, in Hull.

Meanwhile the city of Coventry is gearing up to bid to be named UK City of Culture in 2021. Find out more at www.coventry2021.co.uk