Many years ago, way back in those memorable first days of attending school at ASU, I had a conversation with a very good friend at the time that all men inevitably have. "So who do you prefer: blondes, brunettes or redheads?" I asked. (I will gladly refrain from delving into any of the other attributes which may have come up at this adolescent moment.) His response was very quick, calm and fluid, as if it rolled from his tongue without a moment of thought. "I like the one who likes me," he replied.
That was sort of an awakening moment. Not in the context of finding a mate (that's not what this website and blog are about), but in the way of finding the perfect company. Not everyone will be lucky enough to work for a top tier company or within a sexy industry. We may all want to work for Google, but the harsh reality is that only one half of one percent make the cut.
Rejection is common and it will reoccur throughout your life. Whether in the form of a date, loan, college or job application, it is never easy to be denied of something we truly believe we want. Accepting anything less than our ideal is typically viewed in negative light, as if we are coping or settling for something below our standards.
Do not be discouraged when interviewing for new jobs. In Welcome to the Big Leagues, I state that as a corporate rookie, it does not matter what company you work for, because you will not get exposure beyond two layers; meaning your boss and your boss's boss.
These are the two who will control your fate.
These are the two who need a certain candidate on the team to fill a specific need.
These are the two who need to unanimously agree on taking the risk to hire you.
Even though the company's name is stamped on paychecks, never lose sight of the fact that you really won't be working for that lush company in the context you may have envisioned, in reality, you will be working for one person within that company, your boss.
The number one reason people quit their job is due to their boss. It's been stated that "people leave managers not companies;" which supports my point that people join managers not companies. When the right management team chooses you, and one will, the sexiness of the company or industry should not matter. It will be much wiser for you to focus on the role, as well as the talent, education and experience levels of your boss, as opposed to simply getting your foot in the door of what you believe to be a good company.
Before applying for any new job, make sure that you are truly passionate about the work to be performed. Titles are often misleading. Study the job description (most are carefully written for good reason) and picture yourself performing such tasks on a daily basis for the next several years. Do the skills align with where you want to grow, develop and ultimately take your career?
Your first job as a rookie will not determine the work you will be doing for the rest of your career, but in order to get attention and possibly create new opportunities, you will likely need to master this first role. If you don't, it's highly unlikely that management will once again stick its neck out for you.
The just-get-my-foot-in-the-door mindset no longer works in an Employer's Job Market. If you sign on to a new job, be prepared to stay in that role for several years to come. In an Employer's market, opportunity is harder to come by for every employee and entering the company as a rookie, puts you at the bottom of the list.
Your focus needs to be on doing meaningful work, developing your skills and delivering results for the one who likes you. It is your stellar performance on this first job which may be what ultimately aligns all stars, and leads you to the perfect position, with the perfect boss at the perfect company.
Purchase Welcome to the Big Leagues...
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