By Barbara Hewitt
My daughter plays on a travel soccer team and yesterday we had an away game. The hour-long drive there was fun – everyone was in a good mood…the sun was shining (after a morning of rain),…and life was good. Not so much on the way home, after we got clobbered by the opposing team, my daughter got hit in the mouth after just getting her braces on, and worst of all (in her mind), she had to play goalie for most of the game because the team’s other goalie has been out for most of the spring season with a broken arm. While she is a pretty good keeper and the team really needed her in this role, it definitely isn’t her favorite position. We had the “pleasure” of listening to her complain most of the way home about how she doesn’t think it’s fair that she always has to play goalie, she’d rather play offense, she’s tired of losing, and on and on and on. (Any parent with a “tween” knows how this story goes….). Of course, there wasn’t much I could say as a mother that she as a daughter wanted to hear, but it occurred to me that the advice I gave her really wasn’t that different from the advice I give individuals in the working world…and since it is my day to write a Penn and Beyond post here goes….
Most jobs are a mixed bag. You may love your colleagues but dislike the commute. You might adore the work with clients but hate all the resulting paperwork. You may enjoy the new challenges every day but dislike the bureaucracy of the office. No job is perfect, but (just like a soccer team!) there are certainly ways to make your working life more productive and positive.
Be versatile. Make yourself valuable to your organization by being able to contribute in a variety of ways. Just as a soccer player who can play defense and offense can be especially valuable to a team in need, you can be more valuable by being able to fill in and cover an area when necessary. Cross training so that you will be able to fill in for a colleague who may be ill, cover a presentation on short notice, or run a systems report will make you a more valuable asset to your organization.
Be a team player. Instead of always thinking about yourself, don’t forget what the larger team might need. In our office, no one loves to clean the refrigerator, staff the front desk when our receptionist is out, or cover Saturday programs. Still, if everyone pitches in and takes on these tasks occasionally, no one get stuck with all of them and the effort is appreciated and recognized.
Be positive. Minimize the complaining and be a positive force. Constant negativity in an office (or on the soccer field!) can drain morale and lessen creativity. Be sure to add energy to the office instead of sapping it.
Ask for what you want. Of course it is important to do the job you were hired to do….but don’t be afraid to let your manager know if there are other tasks you would like to take on (aka “other positions you would like to play”). Are there new skills you would like to learn? A project that sounds interesting and fun? A conference you would like to attend? Your manager can’t help you reach your goals if he or she doesn’t know what they are. You may not get everything you request, but if you are someone who has shown versatility, demonstrated that you are a team player, and exhibited a positive attitude, chances are you will be more likely to be approved to work on assignments that pique your interest and those in which you will excel.
Wonderful post. Search for desired job has become more and more difficult. There are lot of tech jobs. Getting a tech job is easy if the person is really capable in terms of knowledge, practice or experience. Other areas are highly competitive with less no of jobs.