Be Brave Not Safe

With 3 of my sons in college I often hear them talking about conversations they’ve had with fellow students who are lamenting about offers they’ve received for their anticipated first job, resulting from their degree.

A frequent comment my sons have heard is: “I need to be paid more than $X per hour (or year) for that job.” And, the follow-up: “I have a friend who is making 20% more than what they offered me.”

First, congratulations on earning the upcoming or recently acquired degree!!! Hang it proudly. Realize, though, it is just a piece of paper, which caries zero entitlements. And, an education does NOT end with a degree, unless we plan on coasting for the rest of our lives.

Let’s be clear: The potential employer (most likely) doesn’t know the college graduate. And, it is (likely) that the graduate hasn’t yet had the opportunity to demonstrate “real-world business experience” related to the degree earned. Yes, there are exceptions (especially for those fortunate enough to have landed a solid internship in their field of study).

For the rest of us (myself included) we must get our foot in the door and WORK OUR TAILS OFF, if we want to get ahead of the pack.

Think about this. Have you ever sat in front of a wood stove and said “give me some heat!”? What happened – NOTHING!

If we want heat we must first put wood in, light it, give it time to warm up and then / finally we get some heat.

The same goes with a salary. Yes, an employer will begin paying us upon starting a job. But, if we want more we need to demonstrate we are worth more. If, on the other hand, our attitude is “if that is all they are going to pay me then this is all I’m going to do – that which is absolutely necessary to maintain the job and nothing more”, then guess what? That is all we will be paid (expect no dramatic increases). And, we are likely to be a “C Player” who will be jettisoned (that is short for “laid off in a heartbeat“) at the first possible time and/or when the company experiences its next downturn.

To be paid more we have to be worth more. How do we become worth more? Do more than is expected (no brown nosing, please) and be more!

You might ask, where do I get started? I am SO glad you asked. The quick answer: Read more of this blog and ACT on what is suggested. To review focused content on “Personal Success” and “Leadership” read entries in this blog categorized as such. You can do so in 2 ways:

1. At the top of this post, on the left, under the date, click on “Leadership” or “Personal Success”. All posts for the selected category will instantaneously be presented to you! Gotta love WordPress!
2. Near the bottom of any page of this blog, on the right, you’ll see a pick list labeled “Categories.” Select “Leadership” or “Personal Success” and voila, the same thing will happen (you will be presented with all posts for this category).

Enjoy the (never-ending) process! And, don’t be afraid to come back for more 🙂