Upon graduation in 1980 from the University of Guelph it took me almost 10 months to find the job that I was looking for. Admittedly I turned down one particular offer in the Parks Service. I just didn't see that as a path that I would choose. I ended up in Edmonton in a small environmental consulting firm, and thus started my career in biology, and more specifically as a consulting biologist. I have spent my entire career looking for and seeking new work opportunities - that is the nature of consulting. The question always comes from the client - do you have the capacity and expertise to conduct this work? As a "good" consultant, we always say yes, and figure out how to later (tongue in cheek). But the point being, for more than thirty years I have spent my professional life seeking new opportunity and maximizing your work's exposure and maintaining your professional relationships - all important aspects to that path of "selling" yourself.
So the last 10 months have been rather interesting. I left my previous multi-year assignment at the end of June '09 with an expectation to return when they resumed operations in the fall (Oil/Gas Exploration). In my view even if that did not come about, finding new work would not be a big deal. I was wrong, very wrong. Simply put, the job market cratered and my efforts have gone seemingly (so far) unrewarded. I continue to apply every ounce of muscle, every engram of brainpower, every calorie of energy that I can muster into identifying my next real opportunity. But honestly, it has been brutal - well well beyond any other effort I have had to make to secure my next job.
So yesterday on BNN, I was more than a little intrigued with their story of - which is more difficult to get into Harvard or Walmart. This is the second story of late that I have paid attention to in this regard. The other one involved an owner of a pet boarding facility, looking for pooper-scoopers, for minimum wage. For these two positions, 260 people applied. Really? Who applied?
Who now wants to be a dog-kennel assistant?
A laid-off graphic designer
A freelance photographer.
Two out-of-work teachers sent résumés.
Someone in their mid-40s who had worked as a financial controller at an environmental services company.
Past customer-service reps from WaMu, AT&T, J.C. Penney and Sprint.
Retail clerks and cashiers.
Out-of-work waiters.
In the Harvard-Walmart comparison case, the results are even a little more fantastic. First, up is what it takes to get into Harvard, often considered a rather difficult effort - they receive 31,000 applicants - of which a mere 6.9% (2,100) will gain entry.
For the new Walmart store to be constructed in Evergreen, Illinois, over 25,000 applicants came through the doors for 325 positions. The number of applicants is certainly noteworthy, Walmart might usually get 3,000-4,000 applicants for 300-500 positions, or about a 10% success ratio. However, in this case, an almost 8 fold increase in applications was greeted with only 1.3% of applicants being successful. Staggering. Is it that Walmart is such a fantastic place to work? Or is it that fully qualified individuals are seeking whatever work they can find? Needless to say, it is reflective of the job circumstances that confront many, and at many different levels.
So for me, I keep walking on. The right opportunity will be presented at the right time. As written in A New Earth - how do you know the experience you are having is the right one? Because it's the one you're having.
WATCH FULL CLIP HERE
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