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Why shouldn't it be you?

I spotted a free magazine outside the MIT careers office called Women For Hire. It's one of those publications with ads literally on every other page, but I started flipping through it anyway and was pleasantly surprised (and that was before I learned you can get all this year's issues for free -- just click on the pink or blue above!). Women For Hire speaks my language! The company's founder and CEO Tory Johnson writes in her opening letter:

"When talking to women about their careers, I often hear examples of self-doubt -- ranging from "Nobody would take me seriously in that position, so I won't even apply," to "They'll never pay me more money so I won't even ask."

"I'm reminded of interviewing Michael Gelman, the executive producer of Live with Regis & Kelly, for our second book, Women For Hire's Get-Ahead Guide to Career Success. He recalled his college years when he asked professors for advice on how to land a job in TV. All of them suggested pounding the pavement in small markets and even offering to work for free. But he had other plans -- bigger plans -- for himself. Gelman told me he assumed that someone had to get the big national jobs in New York City, and he figured, "Why shouldn't it be me?"

"That attitude and perseverance landed him a coveted spot on Regis Philbin's popular daytime talk show, and in just a few years, Gelman rose through the ranks to be named executive producer, where he remains today."

Sadly, I saw the same kind of self-doubt last Thursday. I met a bright college sophomore who graduated from my high school and now attends a local 4-year university. It took me at least 20 minutes of prodding to get him to tell me what he really wants to do. (And we were there to talk about his career! How was I supposed to help him get "there" if he didn't know what "there" was?)

Finally, he told me he dreams of working for a pro sports team. He was afraid to admit it because the dream seemed too "big" to him.

If you want to do something that society might consider "small," that's fine. That says nothing of its importance or how fulfilling it will be. My dad has been a high school teacher and coach for some twenty years. And however little our society respects school teachers, I respect him because I know his work is absolutely crucial.

But, if you really do want something "big," be honest. Whatever you want, be honest. This is your life we're talking about. There's no time to mess yourself around. Life's going to do enough of that to you already.

When my new friend admitted his dream (that's such a sad phrase -- admitting your dream), he was fearful that I'd tell him No Way, José. But I was excited! I was immediately thinking of my friends he should talk to and ways to reach the other types of people he needs to meet.

The saddest part of it all is that I think I'm the first person to learn what this guy wants to do. I don't think he told anyone else before (I pray he's told a few more people since). His big dreams were getting farther and farther away each day he wasn't going after them. And no one could help, because they didn't know what to help him with.

Now he's got me in his corner. He's going to need a lot more people behind him, but I hope I at least got him thinking what Michael Gelman thought: "Why shouldn't it be me?"

Posted by Ian Ybarra on 17 May 2005

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