THE CAREER EDGE: EXPERIENCE & EXPOSURE

March 26, 2018
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The Edge: Positioning you for success

What separates the Best from all the rest??? It takes more than hustle…. It takes more than intelligence…. It takes more than drive….

You know those individuals that have it all together regardless of what is going on around them. They are confident in the face of challenges. Positive in any situation. They work the room with style and grace. They seem to know the answer before the question is asked.

They have that “X” Factor. What is it???

It’s The Edge. It is that “thing” that differentiates them from others. Their competitive advantage.

The Edge: A New Way of Thinking, Being, & Living.

The Career Edge

Early in my career I worked for a boss that was always dumping his work on me. We all have had this type of boss. Whatever he did not want to do or did not know how to do, it was given to me.

I was creating proposals, planning the budget, creating marketing campaigns….. Work that was his became mine.

One evening I was fed up. I was given the responsibility to complete a proposal on a project we did not have the capacity to do. I had worked late all week long. Now I had to pull an All-Nighter. Then hop on a train to deliver it downstate by noon.

Not only was I getting pressure at work, but my girlfriend was angry. You know that anger. “How could I work late again?!” “This was the fourth day in a row.” “You don’t get paid overtime.” All those phrases echoed in my mind.

I was the only one left in the office. As I was watching the sun set, my anger was rising. How could this be happening to me?! I deserve respect!!! Why me?!?!?

Then it struck me. Why am I going this??? Why am I here???

For Experience. For Exposure.

Experience According to Dictionary.com, Experience is the knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has undergone. This was more than a proposal. It was an opportunity to create a persuasive argument. To convince a Government Agency to award us this contract. I had to connect all the dots to create a picture of our organization as the Only Solution.

Everything we do in life provides us with experience; real and relevant knowledge. We can tap into that knowledge for future opportunities. Never let a challenge pass you by. Embrace those tasks outside your job description. Volunteer for more work. Yes, more work. These are the moments that stretch you and grow you.

Exposure What does Exposure mean? To view in the open; to be seen. This proposal would be seen by many. I would gain visibility beyond my organization; throughout the marketplace and industry. Others would see my work and know it was me. I would be playing on a larger stage. And that happened. Others learned about me and opportunities started to come.

Remember knowledge is Power. The more you do. The more you learn. The more you experience. The more you Grow. See these challenges as opportunities.

Remember to ask yourself: What have I learned? Who will see my work?

The Edge: A New Way of Thinking, Being, & Living.