[Written by Mike Breslin, Landing Point Co-Founder]
In 2004, the Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years, Mark Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook, and the iPhone was still three years away from being invented (that sweet spot of time when everyone had a cell phone, but nobody’s face was buried in it). So, what else happened that year? In September 2004, after three years of working as an Auditor for KPMG, I decided to pursue a career within the world of executive recruiting. Realizing my 20 year recruiting anniversary was approaching got me reflecting on two overarching lessons I’ve observed over the two decades I’ve worked as a recruiter.*
*I’ll save my endless stream of industry stories for my teammates who are by no means exhausted of hearing them.
Lesson #1: When it comes to things we can control on a job search, fear of change is public enemy number one.
Countless circumstances can both positively and negatively affect a person’s career progression, but fear of change holds so many people back. As a survival instinct, it has served our species quite well. Why change your normal route down to the river if you might run the risk of bumping into a saber-tooth tiger? It’s the instinct that kicked in when I was recently boogie boarding in the great white shark-infested waters off Cape Cod National Seashore. After 30 seconds of risk/reward calculations, I quickly found my butt back on the sand. But what happens when our brain starts to create its own scenarios of the unknown to keep us from progressing?
“What if I leave this awful boss only to find out my new one is worse?”
“ What if I replace this under-performing team member with someone who is even less capable?”
In an increasingly anxious society, our minds will work overtime to keep us from taking risks (or perceived risks) in favor of the devil we know. That’s not to say every fear of change is without merit. When you’re considering things like interviewing for a new job or applying for an internal transfer, there may be solid reasons not to pursue the action. Acknowledging the natural instinct for fear of change and challenging what your mind comes up with can prove to be an excellent exercise for decision making. If you find yourself avoiding something purely out of fear, remember your FDR history lesson.
Lesson #2: Kindness and respect can open doors to opportunities you never imagined.
“People will forget what you said and did, but they will never forget how you made them feel” – Maya Angelou.
Most careers will offer people the opportunity to cross paths with hundreds (if not thousands) of individuals. Treating someone poorly will stick with them far longer than any bonus check you’ve cut or promotion you’ve given. Business leaders can (and should) have high standards and expectations for their teams, but not at the expense of professionalism and common courtesy. I wish I could say I’ve never crossed that line, but I’d be lying. Experience has taught me that there is more value to deleting that passive aggressive email or slack message and opting to pick up the phone instead.
Your professional reputation will follow you to any job, company, or industry. Any potential hire is most likely two LinkedIn connections away from finding out exactly what you’re like to work with. Alternatively, a track record of kindness and respect can open doors to opportunities and typically results in being surrounded by other like-minded individuals.
I know I’m not breaking any new ground by preaching the Golden Rule and recommending that people approach their career choices courageously. However, revisiting this wisdom has served me well over the years. The team at Landing Point strives to make these and similar values part of the experience for all our clients, and I’m excited to bring that same experience to new contacts as we expand our presence in New England and beyond. After all, nothing says courage like a lowly NY Jets fan walking the streets of downtown Boston.