To Affinity, and Beyond!

The Labor Day weekend is a time for soul-searching for many – back-to-school beginnings, #career crossroads, etc. Who am I and what do I want in a career?

I have the good fortune of lecturing and advising at dozens of universities (shout outs to my beloved alma maters University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Texas McCombs School of Business ). Here are some career questions I am certain to be asked again this upcoming semester. Forward to the #college students and entry-level aspirants in your life.

I should follow my bliss, right?

Depends. You need Aptitude to go with your Affinity. It ain’t enough to enter Sports Marketing just cuz you like sports. I send all bliss-addicted students 1) to guru @ScottGalloway: “Don’t follow your passion, follow your talent. Determine what you are good at (early), and commit to becoming great at it. You don't have to love it, just don't hate it. If practice takes you from good to great, the recognition and compensation you will command will make you start to love it. And, ultimately, you will be able to shape your career and your specialty to focus on the aspects you enjoy the most. And if not—make good money and then go follow your passion. No kid dreams of being a tax accountant. However, the best tax accountants on the planet fly first class and marry people better looking than themselves—both things they are likely to be passionate about.” And 2) to go fill out an Ikigai chart for themselves.?

What matters more on a résumé – my GPA or my extracurricular activities?

Yes. That is, both matter. You better have a magically compelling excuse prepared as to why your grades are below-average. And, conversely, your great GPA alone, devoid of any campus or real-world experiences (or personality), does not impress. Show us that you at least tried your hand at what you studied – class projects or clubs or internships where you put principles to practice. Mark Twain wisely said, “don’t let your schooling interfere with your education.”?

Should I mention a certain job/education/travel experience that is not pertinent to my career ambition?

Yes, probably. Two answers come to mind: 1) It may be more pertinent than you think. Were you developing your interpersonal skills and empathy? Problem-solving? Attention to detail? Commitment to excellence? 2) Can you tell us a captivating story about it??

I was only at this gig for less than a year. Should I leave it off my résumé?

Leave it on. Just be prepared, i.e. have it (and any of your life transitions) well-articulated. Tenure is less of a concern than it used to be with hiring managers, in these frenzied times. And Tenure is less of an aspiration too - the younger employee (younger than what my company @Magid refers to as “The 45 Divide”) wants fifteen jobs of two years, whereas us old folks sought two jobs of fifteen years. I am actually in full support of this - the younger gens’ mobility and variety-seeking. Because let’s not kid ourselves, the rumored rewards after decades of servitude (job security, pension, gold watch, etc.) are evermore fleeting and false.?

Should I go corporate or open my own business?

Just go. And know that experience in one is valuable for the other. We all are either an Owner or a Temp (per the great futurist Watts Wacker) - so which sounds like the true you? Not that work is torture, but I did see an apt illustration once: the curse of the entrepreneur was the boulder up a hill and the curse of a corporate wonk was a hamster wheel. So, which do you think you will hate less? Are the entrepreneurial advantages – controls of one’s time and direction, greater upside, etc. – “worth it” to you? I’m Team Hamster Wheel, until I’m in the shoebox buried in the backyard.

Does my one résumé work for all?

Hell no. You must create a version specific to the JD, playing their own dumb words back to them, elegantly and covertly. Anymore, the intern (or the AI) is putting you in the Yes pile if you match enough of their key words. I am not suggesting you embellish, just reword and restack your experiences in a truthful and earnest way that makes the reader feel only you are ideal for this job and this job is ideal for you. The transactional knuckleheads in HR are not visionaries – they are not trying to leverage your potential or stretch you into new experiences, they are just trying to find a hexagonal peg for this hexagonal hole so they can go grab a Starbucks.

What level is “entry level?” Do I have to start off as an assistant?

Depends. Some divisions are indeed about getting your foot in the door any way and anywhere, and then learning and elevating. But some divisions do have a glass ceiling over their administrative level, and discourage the hiring/promoting of the vertically aspirational.

I know what a cover letter is, but what you want to see in them?

I just want proof you can effectively communicate your qualifications, enthusiasm, and fit for the position. The cover letter is closer (than the résumé) to the style with which you’re going to be e-mailing and Slacking day in day out, so I am looking for the basics - professional format (devoid of typos), succinct, polite, appreciative, with a compelling (but not cheesy) opening, etc. And I need assurance you’re not a robot, so your cover letter must read custom to the specific job and company. Demonstrate that you understand our mission and needs. Mention the recipient by their own name (everyone’s favorite word). In essence, re-state in a conversational tone the big question – Why YOU? As with all attachments, always put it in a PDF so it doesn’t get formatted funkily in transit.

I have no idea how to 'network.' What does that actually mean?

Start by never uttering it aloud as a verb – it’s cringe. But Networking, of course, is crucial. The trick is to do it wildly… without ever get caught doing it. And to make the other person never feel like they’re being subjected to it. It’s a seduction – and as you would never going on a blind date and utter “Intercourse!” before the check arrives, so too should you not make your intentions so blatantly obvious in business communications. If you go into Networking with a genuine curiosity about the other person and with sincere listening skills, you will see each new contact as a valuable friend and less as an obligatory transactional burden. People love the sound of their own voice – set up a safe space to let them pontificate. Extra Credit – ask the person for a few more names after your visit – it’s delicate but it’s the only way to efficiently grow your database.

What do I do? I feel I am falling behind, i.e. I am not as far along in Life as I (or my parents) think I should be.

It is not a Race. “Steve Jobs was on an ashram at your age,” I tell young worriers. But it IS a Climb – get your direction and get your sherpas and get your skills honed and get your steps in and enjoy the scenery. “Change. But start slowly. Direction is more important than Speed.” – Paulo Coelho.

I am still learning. So I welcome your feedback on these assumptions of mine.