Today I read an article from the New York Times titled How to Get a Job. This article stressed the importance of a candidate’s ability to implement their skills, rather than the need for a vast knowledge base. I have pondered these things for years now, and I agree with much of what the author, Thomas L Friedman, says. His statements are also bolstered by my experience with individuals from the industry. When I was job shadowing Mr Kennedy from Assurity, his main feedback on my resume and presentation of myself is that he would have liked more presentation of my actual ability to achieve. I had my college courses on the resume, and mentioned programs I had written, but until you can actually show that you can use the concepts, employers will remain skeptical. As much as possible, point out what you have actually done, not what you know how to do.
“The world doesn’t care anymore what you know; all it cares ‘is what you can do with what you know.’” This is a statement by Tony Wagner, and it summarizes the modern outlook of many employers. I came to this realization when I was very young. Thus, I always had misgivings about college, because to me, it was a large use of time and money that employers no longer care about. This is obviously not entirely true, and I am now more positive about college (I intend to obtain a college degree). However, my young self did have some insight. I believed that if I could actually get experience performing the actions I was hoping to learn, employers would look upon me much more favorably than others who did not have experience, but had been to school. Tony’s statement is not indicating we should not go to college, but rather that we should also have practical experience, and be able to use the skills we learn.
Although my view was slightly misconstrued as a child, I believe it helped me realize the importance of actual skills, as opposed to just education. I am a self-learner and push myself to achieve my goals. I try to find new solutions to problems. Creating things is my passion, so I am also very entrepreneurial, and I will probably create my own company, product, or invention some day. “The most successful job candidates, she [Sharef] added, are ‘inventors and solution-finders,’ who are relentlessly ‘entrepreneurial’,” (Friedman). However, the main reason I would be an asset to a future company is my commitment. I try to pour my life into everything I do, and any company I work for would become “my company”, meaning I would take personal responsibility to do my best and add the most value possible. That is why it is so important for me to research a company before applying. I need to know what kind of company it is, what their mission and goals are, and what they are doing to accomplish their goals. I need to know if they are hard working or lazy, and if my work will be respected or taken advantage of. In essence, I need to know whether it is a company that is worth my time and the investment of a majority of my energy.
