We’ve all walked a mile (maybe more) in Luke Skywalker’s boots. There’s that over-the-shoulder shot in A New Hope of Luke staring out at the twin suns of Tatooine, the John Williams score swelling behind him. The audience recognizes that he knows there’s something more. He just doesn’t know what it is or how to get there.
As a job seeker, it’s easy to feel like you’re standing in your own version of Tatooine, waiting for something to change. There’s so much noise, so many options, so many unknowns that you’re left staring at your inbox like it might deliver your destiny.
But wait a minute! Isn't that what happened to Luke? Sure, he got his call to action from a glorified space Roomba. But most of us? We don’t get holographic job offers from princesses. We have to seek out our own moment.
And here's the thing: Luke didn't know how to become a Jedi. He didn’t have a roadmap. He had to learn. Along the way, he trained, failed, listened, questioned, and grew. He turned learning into power, and power into purpose. That arc? It's not just cinematic, it’s a model. Education is what took Luke from a passive dreamer to an active agent in his own story.
The last part of the R.I.S.E.E. Job Search Framework is education (and for those of you just tuning in: 'Research, 'Implementation, 'Simulation, 'Engagement, and 'Education’).
The early parts of the framework—Research, Implementation, Simulation—are all about tactical execution. Engagement starts that way too: it’s marketing. But as you move deeper into Engagement, something shifts. It becomes branding. Branding is creating and curating a professional presence and reputation over time. However, the fuel, the catalyst that makes it all RISEE is Education.
Most of us start our careers by reading the script we’re handed: the job descriptions, company values, and standard career ladders. But education, real education, is what helps you rewrite the plot. It’s how you move from saying your lines to calling the shots.
Education allows you to move from being an "actor" in your career to being a "director."
Lights, Camera, Action ...
How many of you, when you read that, said to yourself "I'm ready for my close-up"? Isn't it funny how we can be conditioned to give a reflexive response like that one? Think about the exchange of pleasantries in the checkout line or passing someone in the hallway at work. This conditioning is neither inherently good nor bad. It allows us to operate in an input-heavy world.
This ability to juggle inputs means we often prioritize whatever feels urgent or immediately important. And let’s be honest, your current role might be suboptimal, but it pays the bills. So you power through. It's easy to ignore those subtle signs of disconnection. You’re not miserable, but you’re not fulfilled either. And that middle ground? That’s where careers quietly stall.
Now, what if you’re unemployed or employed but actively looking? It's easy to revert to the tools, tactics, and techniques you used in the past. Sticking to what you know is like reaching for comfort food during a stressful time. And just like comfort food, those familiar job search habits might feel satisfying in the moment but don't yield results like they used to. But why?
All of us recognize that the marketplace is different now. And we know we need to adapt. We know we need to educate ourselves. And some do. However, for many of us, our relationship with education is, at best, a mixed one. For every "A" during our school days for a project well done, there was the cold sweat of a class presentation. And at work, while trainings are useful, why does it seem that most trainers think they're performing Shakespeare in the Park? Oh, and then there is home. By the time you check off your last task on your weekend list of twenty, the only thing your brain is ready for is "just one more episode."
It’s no wonder educating ourselves about the next new thing ends up in the tomorrow bucket. But to reframe our relationship with education, we need to get back to the beginning.
The Family Dinner
Education is like vegetables at dinner. You're told it's good for you by your parents, by your teachers, and by society. And sometimes, it is good. Sometimes you even like it. But it is not always what you would choose on your own.
Learning, though? Learning is dessert. It's the cinnamon churro, that maple donut, that Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. It's what you sneak a bite of when no one is looking. It's curiosity indulged. You're intrigued. You're focused. You follow a thread because it fascinates you, not because it's on a test or part of a plan.
Now some kids like their vegetables. Some even grow up to crave them. But everyone remembers the joy of dessert. That mindset doesn't ever leave us, but it does get shaped by school.
And here's where the magic happens: when you let yourself learn like it's dessert, when you pursue knowledge that genuinely excites you, you unlock the same kind of transformation Luke did. You stop going through the motions. You find energy. You see patterns. You gain clarity. Education, approached with curiosity instead of obligation, becomes the most powerful tool in your job search.
Education Seems Time-Bound
School is measured in tests taken, grades completed, and degrees achieved. This reinforces that education is time-bound. It is this right here that leads to the mindset that so many of us have with education. We walk away with that degree, believing that education is an item on the to-do list to be checked off. And once done, we can go to whatever that next stage is supposed to be.
But as Admiral Ackbar might say, "It's a trap!"
The reality is education—ongoing, self-directed, curiosity-driven learning—is how you reclaim your agency. The marketplace, especially today's job market, often makes you feel powerless and subject to external forces. Real education shifts this dynamic. It requires effort, yes. It requires energy and initiative. But the payoff is immense: the power to shape your own destiny.
So the next time someone tells you to "eat your vegetables," smile politely. Then go find the learning that tastes like dessert and use it to direct the next act of your career.