Career : Are student jobs really unimportant for high profile professionals ?

A few years back, I was on a meeting with an important prospect. Once we had agreed on the contract details and were just about to settle the deal, she asked me quite abruptly about my student jobs. I must say I wasn’t expecting this at all. Anyway, since she wanted to know I told her straight away.

“What student jobs did you take on?”

She had no hesitation asking, I answered the same way; I used to harvest fruits in the south of France, grapes in the Champagne region, had been a supervisor in different schools, gave some tutoring and well, that’s about everything I remembered at that exact and specific moment of time. I now remember there had been a few more, pointless to name all of them here.

It was indeed surprising, I’m an experienced professional with over 15 years of hard working behind me and I hadn’t come across such question since about my first “real” job interviews. Moreover, I was quite convinced that these extremely challenging experiences I took 20 years ago couldn’t be of any value to her or anyone else at this stage of my career.

• To cut a long story short, what was my strategy when taking these jobs?

At that time to I had none, I just needed the money (I leave it with you to figure out all expenses a student can have).

• Did I think I could use these experiences 20 years later or more to land a contract?

Definitely not. The same way, I had no clue how much it actually influenced who I became today and how much it would tell about me.

Thank you for the blessing

Once I graduated from secondary, I had to work and provide for everything and had even started some “real” jobs before I finally graduated a Master’s degree in Business Economics.

Of course, it wasn’t easy! Nonetheless, I will tell you the following: looking back, I would not change a piece for all the gold of the world - well, if it really was for ALL the gold of the world, I may review my statement.

I remember Olivier and nicknamed “Bouc” and “Agassy”, 3 workers in a furniture factory in eastern France. They were really great guys, with an all open-heart. I also remember Hervé from the same factory,who told me I should study or I will “end like him”. Not to mention theses guys' highest human qualities , they taught me I had to work hard to get where I want. Now, I would love to meet Hervé and the others again and show them I took all the steps to follow their advice. That was my very first summer job, I was 16.

There also was Jacques, professional fruit harvester, passionate about his job and nature and with whom I shared unforgettable times. Today, he’s hitting 60 and had to quit working about 10 years ago, his back and joints were hurting him so much because of him doing such a tough work.

I remember many more like them and everyone gave me a little something I always take with me on this great journey we call life.

To all of them I say thank you for the blessing.

Having values is fulfilling in itself

I learnt a lot about myself, that I am enthusiastic on getting right things done, that I can work round the clock, that real satisfaction is the best reward, that having values is fulfilling in itself.

I also learnt about what I can or can’t do and what I want and what I really don’t.

Today, I try to put this in application every day, giving the best out of myself, learning from others as much as giving and sharing whenever someone expresses the need. Overall, I try to be loyal to others and to myself the best I can.

Well, this is what I got from these early stage of professional experience. A lot of time has gone and I still feel I’m the same person, just being a bit older and hopefully little more experienced.

Create a special relationship

Now back to my business meeting. It immediately created a link between me and my customer, we found out she was raised in one of the places I had been working in and we could engage in further talks, more informal. I am convinced that beyond the fact that I had the competences and skills to actually do the job and perform as expected, she was looking for an honest answer to a very basic concern of her: is there any chance we can get along together on the long term!

To tell you the truth, I loved it. Not that I had forgotten about these jobs, the people I had met, the reasons why I had to work, my student times and all the fun of being a these good old times, but I have to admit I hadn’t thought about in a long time. All at once, I remembered my young adult life. Of course, I still have great moments, but you know how it is when it comes to good old times, right?

And I finally got the contract!

Manage the Human-Human Interface

Throughout, I hired or participated in hiring many times. I was unconsciously doing the same when trying to know more about the personality of the interviewee. Emotional recruitment you might say, I agree. Isn’t it what it is about in the last phase recruitment process, once you have validated professional experience from the CV, skills in the first phase interviews what is left except emotions: can we work together, can I trust that person, and will he/she feel ok with us?

That's also true when contracting, partnering and engaging in any kind of professional relationship, because it is not just about ticking boxes on a checklist, it is about managing the Human-Human Interface. Who hasn’t experienced this, when on the paper everything looks fine and facts tell it isn’t!

It’s been a great pleasure to share this openly and if you feel like sharing your own experience, memories or feelings, make yourself home and hit the comment field.

Frédéric Hugo Hoffmann

Frédéric specialized in initiating and developing new activities within organizations, leading organizational change and innovation.

https://fr.linkedin.com/in/hoffmannfrederic