Taking a second look at common career and workplace myths
Whether you are new to the job market or experienced in the ways of the workplace, it doesn’t hurt to challenge conventional concepts and knowledge every once in awhile. In an article posted by the New York Daily News this morning, Carolyn Kepcher (a former Apprentice star) and Sheila Norman-Culp (a Worklife columnist) contest eight workplace and career myths that are often taken as truths.
The first myth they challenge is the idea that you have to have great grades in school to succeed as a professional. Although Kepcher admits that a high GPA will set you apart from your peers, she believes that ambition and drive are just as important. A smart employer will recognize this and look beyond your grades for other indicators of how you’ll perform in the workplace.
Second, the women dispute the idea that companies only hire ex-interns. While it is obvious that some organizations favor their interns when filling entry-level positions (Deloitte & Touche hire 90 percent of their former interns), some companies look elsewhere (only one percent of Accenture’s entry-level employees previously held internships with the organization). Internships are helpful, but there are other ways to land the job you want.
Myth Number Three: The highest paying offer is the best. Even though a competitive salary is a priority for many job seekers, you also want a position that caters to your strengths and allows you to grow. A high-paying job where you stagnate won’t help you in the long run.
The fourth myth that the article contested, that your first job doesn’t matter, surprised me. There is an explosive job turnover rate among young professionals today, and many American workers change jobs ten times before they even reach the age of 40, so I never stopped to think about the impact that your first job can have on your career. Kepcher and Norman-Culp believe that your first job will shape your future and that focusing your work in one field will build up your image as an expert in your industry.
The next two myths, that big companies are too impersonal and that small companies are too limiting, are both debated. Kepcher has always worked for big companies, because they offer more room for growth and advancement, but she also believes that a small organization can offer young workers more responsibility and faster pay increases.
The seventh myth is that it’s always better to work at a company’s headquarters. Although a job at HQ gets you closer to the action and the corporate decision making, it also tends to be a lot more competitive there. If you want to keep your distance from company politics, it’s better to seek out a position in a satellite office.
And finally, the article advises young professionals to emphasize their summer jobs on their resumes, because they actually do mean something in the grand scheme of things. Kepcher believes that even the most standard summer jobs (think food services and camp counseling) can help you develop invaluable skills in areas like sales, customer service, and time management. Advertise what you learned at these jobs because responsibilities that you held over the summer can translate into legitimate qualifications for more professional occupations.
To learn more about promising jobs that you may want to pursue in the future, read our overviews of careers in law enforcement, finance, and health care.