I’ve had a very strong feeling that 2015 is going to be a good year. And the proof just keeps mounting. One of the things you have to always manage is a sense of gratitude for what you have. You have to stay realistic and remember that not everyone is successful – for a multitude of reasons.
The reason for this post is that my girlfriend recently entered the white-collar world for the first time. She got the job for two reasons, both of which are very important for seekers. First, she made it a priority to know more than anyone else in her desired profession. I encouraged professional certifications instead of a generic college degree. Second, she networked heavily. She volunteered when she could and offered assistance for whatever event she was available. To tweak an oft-used bemoaning, it is both what you know and who you know.
I went through the same stuff many years ago, but at the time, I didn’t have the same perspective that I have now. I am able to look at my girlfriend’s situation and see how crazy it is when you become a professional. I mean, everything changes. One day you’re wondering what days you’ll be working next week and then, bam, you have a solid work schedule. You used to share a break room with all your co-workers, now, here’s your office. You used to pore over offerings from ObamaCare trying to find one that was good enough for what you could afford, now, here’s your company health plan. And here’s membership to a credit union, and here’s your vehicle you’ll use during work, and here’s enough money to live on.
It’s probably overwhelming for anyone that’s in that transition, and for an outside observer, it can be shocking to a degree as well. What got me was that it was almost like winning a lottery. Don’t get me wrong, there was no luck involved here. It was earned through a lot of study and honest self-promotion. My background thought was for all the others that haven’t gotten there yet. Maybe they don’t know enough yet, maybe they don’t know or haven’t impressed the right people to fight on their behalf. You just can’t show up and say, “I’ll take that job.”
So to everyone that is searching, know what you want, know it inside and out, and find the people who can get you there.
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