Over the years I have interviewed tens of thousands of college graduates. Most of them tell me that the ideal job would involve working for a large company with great training, benefits, upward mobility, flexible hours, that constantly challenged their skills, and one that rewarded them for their efforts. This, they say, would be the “perfect job.”
Well, in my 30 years, I have yet to find the perfect job. You will find great benefits and the corporate ladder to climb, but only if you are willing to sacrifice flexibility, constant challenges and creative input.
The larger corporations are like a whale swimming in the ocean. They effectively move in one direction, but turn more slowly than the much smaller minnows. Don’t always be so eager to let the whale swallow you down.
Job security is no longer assured with the major corporation. If you notice the front page headlines, they talk of downsizing, rightsizing, mergers, and acquisitions. Therefore, if you want flexibility, challenge and an opportunity, think small.
Wayne Gretzky, the greatest goal scorer in the game of hockey said, “I do not skate to where the puck is…I skate to where the puck is going to be.” The future Fortune 500 corporations are small today and those who are on board in the beginning have a much more rewarding future than those who work for the companies who have already grown to full size.
The future is more like a school of minnows that dart and separate and rejoin before the whale makes a quarter turn. Each minnow has a special life of its own and can move within the group or move away if danger arises.
The smaller companies offer more flexibility, adaptive training, more use of individual input and a constant challenge with the sky as the limit. As a result, you may find more satisfaction if you think small. It could turn out to be that “perfect job” you are seeking.
-- By Colleen Kay Watson, Career Professionals, which helps job seekers find
entry-level opportunities in Management, Marketing, Sales, Customer Service,
Finance and Administrative positions. For more information about Career
Professionals, please go to http://www.gocpi.com or call
952-835-9922.
