The Importance of Paying Your Dues

My career has covered working with students in a variety of capacities: student advising, career advising, teaching, recruiting, etc. Over the course of many years one theme has stood out to me; the importance of paying your dues and avoiding the entitlement trap. I hope you’ll stay with me on this brief journey as I explore this important theme and how it’s essential to your future success in the world outside academia.

I think back to May 2002 when I was finishing college. I hadn’t really given much thought to what my next step would be. Unlike other students I didn’t pursue internships or anything else career related. Let’s just say that I wasn’t as ambitious as my peers and the thought of joining the workforce was a scary prospect. I had my expensive piece of paper and had the assumption that as a college graduate the work would come to me. Where did this attitude come from? I can’t say for sure but it certainly didn’t do me any favors once school was completed. The result of this was me bussing tables at a restaurant, just like I did during the summers between my years in school. I was the victim of my own ego and the feeling that a degree was enough. It would take me years to figure out that finding a career involved real work and that I would have to build my own brand to achieve any semblance of career success. As someone who is graduating soon or will be wrapping up your education I hope that you’ve been working with your career team to figure out the direction you wish to take.

Even after I landed my first successful corporate job I still had that entitlement following me around. I had a “real” job now and all the things I envisioned coming my way were just around the corner. I remember applying for a senior role on my team and not getting it. How did I handle this rejection? By trying to get my peers to protest management; a childish labor walkout that was silly to say the least. Fortunately, I had a manager who saw this as a learning opportunity and shared with me that I was their second choice and just narrowly missed out. They saw me as someone with potential and I rewarded them by flashing my true colors as an immature employee not ready for the big time. I was never able to shake the image of the childish employee and had to seek opportunities outside of the organization. I had sabotaged my own career and there was no one to blame but me. This was one of those “ah-ha” moments where I learned that how I dealt with rejection was just as important as how I dealt with success. Make sure that you always try to take everything in stride and don’t let your mindset sabotage your career and how your peers perceive you.

This learning opportunity paid dividends many years later when I applied for a role with the HR department at my current employer. I was encouraged by a work colleague to apply for the role as it was a great first step to move into the world of recruiting. I went through several rounds of interviews and made it all the way to the finalist round. The feedback I received was that they were very surprised by me and weren’t expecting the decision to be so challenging. Unfortunately for me they had an internal candidate in mind and would be giving them the position. Was I disappointed? Most definitely yes! This time I was very gracious and thanked them so much for the opportunity to interview and meet the leadership of their team. They were very impressed with my level of maturity and told me they hoped to work with me in the future. A month later I received a call out of the blue and was told that the person they hired had decided to take a job outside of the company. They were curious if I was still interested in the role and of course I said that I was! Because of the way I handled the initial rejection I had been given another chance. If I had reacted like I did years earlier there is no way I would’ve been given any thought at all. The woman who hired me is still a close colleague who I’ve had the pleasure of working with in two different capacities now. She’s one of the finest managers I’ve ever worked with and has helped me grow as a professional. This opportunity lead to where I am now, an Associate Campus Recruiter with T-Mobile. You have the power to control your attitude and how others perceive you. Take what you learned in school and have faith in your abilities. You never know where life will take you and the people you’ll meet. By making yourself memorable and building relationships life will present you with opportunities; it’s up to you to make the most of them.

Entitlement is everywhere and it can be a serious trap that stunts your professional growth. I’m sure you’ve seen it on campus amongst your peers; in the classroom, study hall, out in the community. Your degree gives you an advantage over other job-seekers, it doesn’t give you anything else. A successful career is something that must be earned. You’ve taken the first step by going to school and committing yourself to years of hard work. Now you must go forth and prove yourself all over again. Take failure in stride, you’ll run into it many times. Use the defeat as an opportunity to make yourself stronger. Leave your ego at the door and move forward! Show the “real world” that you’re ready for the challenge. Also remember that you must carry this way of thinking with you the rest of your life. As you grow and add impressive titles and credentials to your name you must continue to avoid the entitlement trap. The best leaders are the ones who are eternally grateful for the people who have helped them along the way. Your brand is something that is always evolving; remember to evaluate your growth and don’t be afraid to learn new things and take on new challenges. The world is out there waiting for you; go forth and prosper!