This article is a continuation of the “Success breeds success” series, you can read part 1, part 2, and part 3 here.
While my hard work had gotten me a lot of great offers from top notch companies, I was a little disappointed that my top choice (and best employer in my city) hadn’t yet responded to me. I couldn’t afford to wait, so I took a job at the next best company. My experience was positive and I enjoyed being at a Fortune 500 company (first time). Over the next few months I started to get discouraged because I felt that they were bringing me along too slowly and I wasn’t getting a chance to show what I could. Plus, the security I felt I would have wasn’t necessarily true as word of a merger hit about a month after I started. On top of that, my decision to take the job with equal pay to my last job was beginning to look like a bad idea. I felt that it was necessary to be in a bigger organization in order to have opportunities for advancement. What I didn’t realize was it might have been better for me to take one of the higher paying offers and try to come back more experienced. Either way, right when I really felt disappointed in my choice, the opportunity I wanted opened up.
The company that was my first choice finally called and wanted to interview me. I knew the pay, benefits, experience, and opportunities were all much better than any of the companies that had offered me positions a few months back. I was nervous but calm during the interview and did a pretty good job of getting my skills across. By the time I got home, they had already called me back…and offered me a position. The pay (including bonuses) was about a 50% increase from where I was at, and even though I didn’t like leaving my new job only 3 months in, there was no way I was going to turn it down. I’m still currently working at that company, and am very lucky to work there. My salary (including bonuses) has increased about 30% in the year and a half I’ve been there.
The point of this long (and drawn out) story is that success breeds success. When I was starting out, I struggled to even get a job in my industry. Then it was my pay. Then it was the security and size of the organization and so on. I took incremental steps in my career, and even though it was tough at times, each accomplishment led to the next one. Without learning how to be successful at each aspect, I would have never had the knowledge and determination to get to where I am now in my career. Whenever I hit times in my work when I felt I could do better for myself elsewhere, I took the chance (and in some cases, beefed up my skills) to be able to propel myself to the next level. I would not have been able to do that without the confidence that was gained from succeeding in earlier career decisions.
Make sure that you take control of your career as well. It is a competitive workplace out there, but those with the determination, right attitude, and business know-how will find a way to rise to the top. Understand that the first thing you need to do is understand why you’re marketable. Analyze the things that make you stand out in the crowd, and emphasize them. Understand what your dream company (or industry) is looking for and give it to them. Know how to market yourself and you will go far.
For me, I’m now reaching the next stage in my career. I feel that I’ve achieved as much happiness as I’m able to in the general workforce, and have now concentrated my efforts on becoming a successful entrepreneur. Yeah, I’m still working the day job, but we’ll see how long it takes me to move to the next level.
