After graduating I went on interview after interview.
My goal: to land a job in the publishing world.
It didn’t matter if I was working at a magazine or with a book publisher, heck, I even tried out catalogs, because all I wanted was to be in the literary world, the one I had read about, seen on television, and glammed up in my mind.
I went on over 100 interviews.
I sat in front of men and women, answering questions, trying so hard to be what they wanted me to be, to fit the part they needed me to play, but each time I walked out of these big buildings in New york City, it was without an offer.
Why didn’t they want me? I muttered to myself afterward. What was it that I didn’t have? What was it that they wanted from me?
It’s their loss my friends and parents would say, but I didn’t believe them. I mean how could it be their loss if they were the ones who decided I wasn’t right for the job? They knew what they were looking for. They knew what they needed. The problem was that I didn’t.
What I didn’t know was that although I wanted to be in the world of publishing, none of the jobs I applied for meant anything to me.
I didn’t look at each house or title and think about what it stood for, or what kind of material it produced, and if I aligned with it.
I didn’t think about what I could give to the company, or how I could make a difference.
I didn’t think what the company could give to me.
All I was thinking about was getting in somehow. I would’ve taken anything, leaving it up to them to make what I wanted happen for me. I gave them the power to see clearly, while I sat chaotic and confused.
No matter what scenario we find ourselves in, maybe it’s applying for jobs, entering into a relationship, or negotiating a lease, if we don’t see the world through our own eyes, we let someone else choose our path.
Tweet: if we don’t see the world through our own eyes, we let someone else choose our path.
Seeing for ourselves isn’t super easy, but all you need to get started is in the following visual:
easel.ly
Tweet: Clarity Comes from Engaging with Who We Are
TODAY’S CHALLENGE
For the next 24 hours if you need advice ask yourself for it!
After you ask your questions like – Should I e-mail my ex-boyfriend? Should I take that new job? Should I ask for a raise? By listening to what you have to say, you’ll know what decision is best for you.
Please report back in the comments below and let me know how it goes!