That’s right. I’m going to talk about reasons NOT to get a job. From the perspective of a graduate business student. Revolutionary? Absolutely not. Common sense? Absolutely.
I regularly socialize with graduate business students in different degree programs, yet many of them seem to possess similar feelings about the “elusive” job hunt. Whether it’s an MBA, a specialties finance guru, or a management maestro, I can’t help but cringe when any of these gifted individuals relay their job prospects, and post-graduation goals, to me.
Below I will provide the top reasons NOT to get a job, from a graduate business student’s perspective. In a follow-up post, I will explain what LEGITIMATE reasons one can maintain for securing a job. As far as the top reasons NOT to get a job, the hair on the back of my neck always rises when I hear:
1) “Kyle, I can’t wait to get an offer from [Company X] so I can end the interview process and stop worrying about it.”
Essentially, you’re telling me that your driving force in securing a job is the prospect of alleviating your temporary and situational pressure. Instead of moving towards a career, you’re trying to run away from temporal discomfort. If you continually seek to mitigate discomfort by avoiding it or replacing it with the most immediate alternative, you will not achieve much in your life.
Pressure turns carbon into diamonds. Why are you focused on alleviating pressure when you should be focused on networking and building the foundation for your career? The instant gratification of reducing your pressure cannot be substantiated by the disservice you’re providing to your own long-term interest and development. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t view the recruitment process as stressful – view it as an opportunity to establish yourself and grow your career. This mentality will translate to all other personal and professional ambitions throughout your life … be cautious with how you approach pressure. Pressure is prevalent in all walks of life, and those who can best handle pressure can both adapt readily and thrive consistently in all circumstances.
2) “Kyle, I’ve been denied from my top three companies of interest. [Company Y] approached me with an offer, and although I’m not really interested in its industry or role, I think I’ll take it to ensure I have something secured after graduation.”
Essentially, you’re telling me that you’re sacrificing your liberty (to pursue a job more suitable for your career goals) for security. Color me nostalgic, but I believe the great Ben Franklin once said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” Sure, the quote may be out of context, but its base principle still applies – when you trade liberty for security, you forego the realizable potential of your creativity, intellectual curiosity, and purpose, which all comprise your “liberty” in the context of your career goals.
A couple months ago, my mom told me something extraordinarily profound. She said, “Son, don’t worry if you fail to secure [a job] after graduation. I’m sure you can learn how to flip a burger in minimal time.” This statement will profoundly impact the rest of my life. Don’t worry about security after graduation; rather, be secure in understanding your value and take risks necessary to match your vision and purpose with your professional endeavors. Patience is a virtue – so why not be virtuous? And whether I’m flipping burgers or writing bonus checks, I will always have the Liberty to pursue my passions by prioritizing and optimizing all 24 hours of my day. If I’m not captivated by what I’m doing in the office, I can leverage my pursuits outside the office, capitalize on them, and transform out-of-office endeavors into full-time engagements. Life, ultimately, is what you make it.
3) “Kyle, I’m going to take the offer from [Company X] because it’s [$Y] more than what [Company Z] will offer.”
Essentially, you’re telling me that money is the deciding factor in your career progression. Tell me, exactly how much is your purpose worth? And what are you pursuing? Consider other factors, like training/development opportunity, career progression, and network value before finalizing your offer decision. Instead of comparing salaries, or additional forms of tangible compensation, perform a “value” comparison. Ask yourself how much value each company can offer you, given your particular career goals, and how much value can you offer each company.
Dig even deeper and understand what the offers actually mean for you. When you look at the offers more holistically, you can better determine how the companies will fit within your vision for your career growth and how you can leverage opportunities with each company. Don’t sell your soul, especially when you don’t know how the purchaser will use it or what value your soul brings to you.
In summation, three main reasons NOT to get a job include: 1) to avoid stress, 2) to mitigate uncertainty, and 3) to make a little more in starting salary. Stress, uncertainty, and instant gratification will poke their toxic heads into all walks of your life, at one point or another. If you let these three snakes insert their venom into one of your decisions, you’ll soon find yourself paralyzed by their venom in all future decision-making. How do you kill these snakes? You can’t kill this particular species with your hands, your friend’s hands, or an expert snake charmer.
The only way you can kill this species is with your mind. By turning the stress into excitement for new opportunity. By turning the uncertainty into certainty in your planning and execution. By turning instant gratification into long-term fulfillment. Your mindset transforms your snakes into doves. Remember, life is what you make it. Your life comes down to your perspective and attitude – how you view your life will shape your life. Your external can only change when your internal changes. As Mike Dooley says, “Thoughts become things … choose the good ones!”
Look out for an upcoming blog that discusses the top reasons TO get a job out of graduate school. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment that provides your perspective on what drives your career progression.
