Building your own Bridge to Success
10 things I learned about career building
5 years ago I had a mental breakdown. It was the low point of my life. I was stuck in a job that had no upward movement but was too good to leave for an internship or something of a similar nature. Many told me to “tough it out” and “pay my dues” and I tried to take their advice, but there was clearly no future for me at that company.
In my mind, I had two options: I could continue doing the same thing or take a risk and try something different. I took a risk and it led me down an accelerated and successful career path that only proved I was capable of things I’d never get a chance to prove at the job I had 5 years ago. Here are 10 things I’ve learned along the way about building a career:
1. Fake it till you make it, but don’t fake it till you like it.
Fake it till you make it is a good way to learn. I, personally, learn more from dealing with a real situation than reading about it. That doesn’t mean that preparation is bad, it means that figuring something out when it is a real problem is the best way to learn about on-the-job skills you actually need and use.
But you cannot pretend to like a job hoping that you will one day truly like it. You have to love a majority of what you do. No job is perfect, and there are some positions where you have to prove you can do the more exciting things while doing the more mundane things. But if you don’t like it or have something to like about it, you will never truly succeed.
2. Quality = Quantity
There are a lot of layers to job searching. In my experience, I’ve found that expanding your reach is the best way to have multiple interviews and ideally, multiple offers. Most people think this means spraying your resume all over the place and waiting for responses. There are others who believe that taking the time on a few applications and really making them shine are the right approach. Neither of these are correct. You should always apply to as many places you can and as thoughtfully as you can. The only way to create multiple options is to extend your reach as far as you can. Don’t be afraid to apply for jobs that aren’t an exact match to your skillset. There are places that will see something in you they feel can apply in a unique way to their position.
3. Personal connection confirms a well-written resume and cover letter, not the other way around.
I’d say that roughly 90% of the interviews I’ve received have come from a submitted job application followed by reaching out to someone at the company; either through a mutual connection, a LinkedIn request, or some other community. You rarely stand out with a fancy resume or cover letter (though they are important), you stand out by making a personal connection. The conversation you have with an employee over coffee is what confirms your qualifications and gives you a leg up in the process.
Think of it this way. When you only submit a resume, you are putting your chances to be noticed in the hands of software. You have to hope that the few seconds someone spends looking at your resume are enough to stand out. If you have a conversation with someone and get a recommendation, the company hears first hand about you and then confirms it by reading your resume.
4. Networking only has benefits
Networking is easy these days. You don’t have to get into a country club to rub elbows with people from companies you want to work with. You can send them a LinkedIn invitation, join a meetup they attend, or go to one of their open events.
The stigma around using LinkedIn for its intended purpose is a mental road block. People are waiting to be contacted and like to see initiative and curiosity. I’ve had dozens of meet ups that did not result in a job. But just about every person I’ve met has benefitted me in some way by providing more connections, more knowledge on an industry or company, and generally spreading awareness of who I am and what I am about.
In fact, a few job offers have come from past connections. People I had coffee with over a year ago who now have a job that fits me or know someone who does. Networking plants seeds, and creates a network. A network you can activate whenever you go back on the hunt. And obviously, people you want to help out as well when they do the same.
5. The best recruiter is still not as good as you.
Another tool job seekers use are staffing agencies. These agencies are full of wonderful and brilliant recruiters who have direct contact with clients looking to fill positions. These agencies are invaluable in helping people find work.
But even the best recruiter at the best staffing agency is looking to fill their client’s need first. And their client doesn’t just include the company they are hiring for, it also includes all the other candidates they represent. You are the only person who can give 100% of your time to your job search. Do not waste that resource.
Treat your job search one of two ways: Like a side project (if you are currently employed and looking to move to something new) or like a full time job (if you are unemployed). You can choose how much effort goes into your job search, and that effort almost directly translates to your success.
6. Failure is okay.
Failure is okay. If you mess up at a job, it is okay. It is a learning experience and something you can use as an example in a future interview. No one is 100% successful and those who claim to be or try to pass themselves off that way are disingenuous.
Failure in job seeking is also okay. Let’s say you apply for 50 jobs and you get multiple interviews for only 10% of those jobs, that’s still 5 jobs you are getting into 2nd and 3rd round interviews!
Rejection letters and cold and generic, let them roll off your back. The “request for interview” emails are so much better. And the “we’d love to continue this conversation” emails are even better. For every interview there are likely 10 rejections, even for the most qualified candidate.
7. If the process feels tedious, you probably won’t like the job.
I said earlier that applying for many jobs is a good strategy, and it is. But there are certain stress points that make me abandon an application or ongoing interviews.
If an application is repetitive and arduous, I have trouble finishing it. I try to consider what the job is and how this process might represent the company as a whole. If I’m not feeling excited and hopeful filling out an application or having a screening interview, I usually bow out before too much time is wasted on both ends.
Some of this is due to recruiting software that companies use (I’m looking at you, Taleo!), or companies trying to essentially use the application as a screening interview. I don’t care for those approaches, have a conversation with me instead!
8. Interviews go both ways
Interviews are for you as well. Most people doing interviews will ask if you have questions. You really should ask questions. If you have trouble knowing what to ask, you can ask the person to explain how they ended up where they are or what their day to day is like. This forces them to think about how things work at the company. This also gives you an opportunity to hear what your job might be like on a day to day basis, especially if you are interviewing with someone with the same role you are interviewing for.
Another good question to ask is what the person is looking for in this position. You’ll learn a ton about what values the people on the team have and what they expect of the role. You’ll also get early insight into some of the team dynamics.
9. Be confident but check your ego at the door
We tend to be our own worst critics. That could manifest itself in many ways. It could be that you look at job requirements and feel you aren’t qualified or feel intimidated by a question during an interview. When on a job, it could be that someone else tries to push you around and tells you how to do your job.
You are interviewing or working in a position for a reason, because you have a skill set and disposition that someone in charge deemed to be the right fit. If someone who doesn’t have your expertise is telling you how to do something, trust yourself. You have the prior experience to work from, you don’t have to back down. You can suggest what you think is best. That is what you are there to do.
I’m a firm believer that everyone can offer something. I believe there is a fine line in respecting the expertise of each role while also fostering a team that believes there is always something to learn from everyone. I can have opinions on design, even if I don’t have the final say. Different perspectives and experiences are essential to solving problems.
Be confident in what you have to offer. Listen to what others have to offer but do not let anyone diminish your value.
10. Don’t be afraid to take the lead
When we finally get that job offer we tend to be relieved and thankful, and we should be. But a job offer is not the end of the process. It simply means the ball is in your court.
This is now your opportunity to ask more questions, negotiate benefits and pay, and take time to meet with the people you’d be working with to determine if this is a right fit for you.
Look at it this way. At this point, the company has clearly expressed interest in you and identified you as the right fit. This is now your time to determine if they are filling your needs. Some might say it’s entitlement, but it is not. This is essential to your happiness and productivity on the job. If your pay or benefits are lacking for what you need, that will affect your performance. Speak up about what’s important to you. Even if the company can’t or won’t meet you on those needs, asking is the only way to know for sure.
When I get a verbal or written offer, I run down a list of benefits to ask about. I ask to stop by the office and sit down with some folks I’d be working with and ask questions and dive deep into culture and work and life. You spend a majority of your time with these people, this isn’t a decision anyone should be making lightly.
Sometimes, you aren’t in a position of leverage. Sometimes you just need a job and you will take what you can get. Sometimes you are willing to sacrifice something you really want because the opportunity is good. I get all of that, but you need to decide the point at which you want to start to take control of your own opportunities.
Only then, will you truly have built your own bridge to success.
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