While I was in Houston, I was asked the expected questions about how I liked Farmington, what I wanted to do next, where I might be willing to go, what I found interesting and challenging, etc. Basically, questions designed to elicit answers from me that would enable the powers that be to find a suitable role and location to put me into next. In many ways, the questions were a lot like the ones relatives ask you at big family dinners when everyone gets together and catches up on major life events. Essentially, the questions were a roundabout way to ask what do you want to do with your life, but framed in the context of working here.
I've answered these questions a few times now and my answers are the same but not all that specific. I want a challenge, worthwhile work, a sense of contributing, something new-ish, and to not be in Farmington. Additionally, I don't care that much about money (beyond achieving a certain standard of living which I currently have) or internal or external recognition (since I want my work to be validating on its own). When it comes to specific job roles that are most common for people in my position to enter into, most of them don't interest me. I can tell that my somewhat non-specific answers about specific job roles aren't received with enthusiasm, but I'm not about to lie and then end up doing something I don't like, but that personnel and management think is a great fit because I already professed interest in it.
As I've thought more about the issues at hand, I've come to realize that (at least right now) I may not have any ambition. Now, don't take this the wrong way. Perhaps a better way to phrase that might be that I have no desire to appear to have ambition. Well, that just sounds confusing. Essentially, I don't care about power or glory. I want to do my job well and find it fulfilling, but I'm not interested in holding power over other people or winning awards or some such things. The analogy (which is woefully inadequate) is that I'm like a loaded weapon. I don't really know what direction to go in, but point me somewhere and I can be your man. But if what I find myself doing both sucks and doesn't teach me enough about something (anything!), then I'll probably be gone pretty quickly. I've already done the job that has what we'll euphemistically call character-building days and I've had enough of them. I'm sure I could use plenty more tough-lesson days, but their value with be much greater if they occurred in a different context than the one I'm presently in.
In a nutshell, I want good ideas that I have to be adopted because they are good. Not because they are mine, but because they are the best ideas. Basically, I want people to admit when I am right, not by telling me I'm right, but by doing something that shows I am right. Perhaps that makes me more ambitious than I think. Persuading people to adopt your ideas and plans is never easy. In fact, if it means significant changes to the status quo, it's nearly impossible. But shaking things up is fun. And challenging. And fulfilling.
2 comments:
HR people and management types like simple answers, not your more open-ended approach. If you do not think they got the message in the third paragraph, call them. It's a good message, but atypical, so it may not have been received.
As the Guy said, you have made the job too difficult for those HR people. These people only go by their script and anything deviates from the script, they just don’t want to deal with, especially with the lowest of the lowest management trainees.
The standard measure of success from any B schools is the highest productivity and quality with the minimum of cost. I am sure they would love to have you since you can produce with both high quality and efficiency with low pay. In this case you will cut yourself short. Making as much money as possible is part of the game.
Unfortunately, in many work environments, individual success is measured by the rate of pay. Look at some CEOs who don’t produce, do not make any profit for their company, but receive outrageous pays and perks. In order to get rid of them the Board has to give them a large severance pay!!!
Don’t sell yourself short, demand top $$$ even you don’t need it. Even you have no desire to appear to have ambition, but you know you always have ambition, so show it! You cannot let people lead you by the nose or point you anywhere. You have to lead yourself & others. Hardly anyone will admit you are right when you are right. Sometime managers let “EGO” get in the way, or they just simply too busy to notice. Change is hard. Once people get too comfortable in certain way and reach certain plateau, they don’t want to change no matter how much it will improve their lives and work environments.
US automobile industry used to be the best in the world, top-ten of Fortune 500. Managers and workers got too complacent and resist changing. Look where are they now. Even in the US, they have less than 50% share of the market.
Take a very good look and see what direction you want to go and let HR and managers know. Squeaky wheels get the grease. Demand and demand more!
"Ambition" is definately not a maybe, but absolutely YES.
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