What’s It Really Like to Work at that Company or In That Field?
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
This is a classic mistake job hunters, career changers, and students make that can wind up being a VERY expensive mistake.
Misconceptions College Grads Have About Job Hunting
One of the mistakes that job hunters make, one of the mistakes that students make whenlooking at their field, one of the mistakes that career changers make when they’re considering a new field is you don’t talk to anyone about the organization, the work anything and if you do, you only talk to one person.
The problem with all of this is, if you’re going in blindly into a new field, for example, or you’re a student, you’re investing a lot of money in a degree that prepares you to become an entry-level person in a particular field. And then you discover, this isn’t really enjoyable. This isn’t anything I’d like to do all the time. You’re stuck. And you’ve invested all this time and effort and now you’re back at square one not knowing what to do.
As a student, before you commit to a major, and you’re thinking of doing particular work, talk to a couple of people who are doing that kind of work. You might find them through the career office at your campus. You might find them on LinkedIn. Go to people who graduated from your school. And maybe there were a year or two ahead of you, and then go to people who are six or seven years ahead of you, and talk with them about what it’s like later on.
Same thing for you as a career changer. You have a fantasy about what it’s like to work in that field. And you don’t really know. Talk to people who are doing it. What’s it like on a typical day? Who do you interact with? How do you find work? You know, lots of different things. And if you’re a job changer, talk to people who work in that organization, or who used to work in that organization, and hear what it’s really like.
Figuring Out The Career To Pursue While in School
Don’t just focus on what you were told that the interview because everyone says the same stuff. ‘We’ve got a great opportunity. It’s a terrific place to work.’ Does anyone ever tell you what the last four people who left that firm, who sat at the same desk as you or were working for the same project team as you did and why they left? No. No one ever offers that up. So you’re operating with limited information. Find out more.
Every firm has problems. Every job is not interesting every day of the week. At least if you know on the way in, there are no surprises because I personally believe that surprises are rarely good.
Hope you found this helpful. I’m Jeff Altman. People hire me for no BS career advice. And that’s what I tried to give you today. If you’d like more, visit my website, which is TheBigGameHunter.us You can go to the site. Go exploring in the blog because there’s 1000s of posts that can help you.
If you’d like me to coach you, if you want to check me out, first, you can schedule a free discovery call so we can get acquainted, talk about your situation and how I think I might be able to help. We can also schedule time for a paid coaching session with me. I’d like to help you.
At the site., you can also find out about my books and guides and the courses that you can rent or buy. . . As I said, there’s a lot at the site that can help you. Also, connect with me on Linkedin at linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunter.
Have a terrific day and most importantly, be great!
The Basic Career Transition Formula
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. He is hired to provide No BS Career Advice globally. That can involve job search, hiring staff, management, leadership, career transition and advice about resolving workplace issues. Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2500 episodes.
I do a livestream on LinkedIn, and YouTube (on the JobSearchTV.com account) Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 PM Eastern. You can send your questions about job search, hiring better, management, leadership or to get advice about a workplace issue to me via messaging on LinkedIn or in chat during the approximately 30-minute show.
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