They are Going to Take Your Job!

Everyone is replaceable. Period. Full stop. Anyone can take your job. It may take a while to find someone as good as you, but they are out there and they will be found.

Now, of course, I have to contradict myself. There is one person who cannot be replaced. That's the person who knows history. They are the one who knows that you never ask Mr. X about his wife and you always ask Mrs. Y about her cats. They are the one who knows you always get paid in full upfront when dealing with the XYZ company, but that you never ask for an upfront payment from ZXY because they will be insulted since they always pay immediately on receipt of the invoice. Oh, and you can charge George 5% more for everything because he's happy to cover your credit card fees; the man is crazy for credit card rewards.

It's a lot to learn and takes a lot of time to learn. But even the company historian can, eventually, be replaced.

Being an older employee, by definition the "historian," gives one a feeling of security since the new hot shot know-it-all from with their fancy college degrees can't replace them. And the young hot shot, if they have any brains, will make a point of turning the "historian" into a mentor. There's no better person from whom to learn than the person who has been there "forever."

Now in the interview process something interesting happens. These days it is usually either persons of roughly the same age sitting across from each other, for which there is no problem, or they are of different generations.

If you are younger than the interviewer, show respect. Don't interrupt. Listen. Ask intelligent questions. On the other hand, if you are older than the interviewer, they may be afraid that you could take their job. You have more experience than they do and you may be willing to take their job for less money and fewer benefits. So concentrate on how you have mentored younger colleagues and focus on the satisfaction you have gotten from working with them and seeing them advance. And, if it is true, add that they are your references. The message is clear: Hire me and I'll help you ascend the corporate ladder! I am not a threat to you. Luke, I am your father! (Don't actually say it, just make them think it!)

ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD? THEN I INVITE YOU TO BE A GUEST ON MY PODCAST, BRUCE HURWITZ PRESENTS: MEET THE EXPERTS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, TO APPLY AND TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW VISIT: https://hsstaffing.com/video-podcast

------------------------------------------

Future Articles:

• Redundancies
• How to be an Effective Public Speaker
• Corporate Values
• How to Interview (Both Sides of the Table)
• Customer Service
• Boneless and Humorless: Shopper Responsibility