Sales

Selling yourself short... or selling a product you don't believe in... 2 very unfortunate situations that often times I find myself sandwiched between.

This post will probably be the most random as I haven't written in a while and also am feeling the repercussions of my infection. Health update, surgery is needed and estimated recovery time is 6 weeks.

On to the more interesting stuff!

Selling yourself short. I found myself in this predicament when I had my performance review last week... or maybe it was the week before. It must have been last week. I was told that I surpassed the expectations of Boss Man, did well, but still somehow just ended up on the scale as "average". I got an "average" raise and an "average" pat on the back. When asked how I would be able to achieve more, I simply got a response of "becoming more promotable". Excuse me. So you're saying, I'm doing well, but not well enough because the work you give me isn't something that will help me, I am just given tasks to do to stay alive at this monster of a corporation?! Great. I sensed a bit of ... "she wants to be promotable? she isn't okay just staying where she is?" I guess my go-getting spirit hit a brick wall because I felt extremely ... what's the word I am looking for, used, betrayed, tricked, falsely informed... all of the above. To end my lame review, we walked out of the Boss Man's office and saw JC with his dad... and of course, I should have seen it coming, Boss Man nudges my elbow and says "you know, he likes you". UGH!!!!! I ended that conversation with, "Please, can we just drop the topic? Both of us have been through enough in the last 6 months." I wanted to be tactful, but at that point, I really didn't have a come back that was 1. witty, 2. nice or 3. pleasant because seriously, it's SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

Selling a product you don't believe in. I've had the pleasure to attend 2 career fairs, looking for bright young talent. But how do you sell something you don't believe in? I tried doing that a number of years ago on a previous internship and yes, the product - great product, but I didn't think it was the best product in the whole entire world where everyone should use it - it was just a good product on the market. So how do you sell a corporate monster that you don't really believe in? Maybe it was the sorority in me that had recruitment written on my face. Maybe it was the fact that I was young and pushing for a company that others felt like they could relate to. Maybe it was the notion that you wanted to believe and listen to the young professional who just 10 months ago, was in your shoes, ready to take on the world with everything she had inside of her. Until of course, the world swallowed her whole...

At my alma mater, I must say, was a great time. Not only did I reconnect with students I hadn't seen but at the same time faculty and staff made it feel as though time stopped for the moments I spent with them, recollecting the memories and past that seemed just like yesterday. I even met someone "cool" from the corporation and made a new friend. Small world, though we didn't have a small world moment... yet. But when meeting someone that likes food, good wine, culture and life -- that's a keeper at least for friends. Now, we may not be friends outside of 8-5 M-F, but that's good enough for me and my network... Cheesy, lame and almost sickening, but yes. You never know where you will meet new connections or find ones you simply lost touch with... and in my case, you never know where you will run into someone that could either change your life forever, or be the beginning of what you may think could be the end.

Respecting your elders. I think it is a term that is overrated, only because somethings you can say over and over again - and after the 10 millionth over - it doesn't mean anything anymore. The words simply just become a phrase people don't even think about anymore because it begins to sound like a broken record player, on repeat... forever. In this case, I am referring to respecting those who have been at a Fortune 500 for a long time, playing the game the way that they know how to play the game and figuring out what is the next step in their lives after retirement. Golf is a game that many enjoy, although I am not one for just hitting a ball for the sake of hitting a ball. Then again, I'm not one to enjoy the spa I have now learned, so I guess we'll have to do a little more soul searching to find the game I will play when I reach that point in my life. On to my point, I was told by a wise professor to make a list. A list of things to do when I got into a position of authority... and I think I found a couple things to add to my list as I have experienced it recently:

1. Don't take credit for someone else's work. Promote their abilities and think to yourself, perhaps they have done well because you have guided them to their success.

2. Don't take advantage of AA's. (administrative assistants) Someone's gotta do the work, but really, when you just see them as someone who "photocopies" or "orders office supplies" - we have a problem. Really, how hard is it to photocopy something? Can you take 5 seconds out of your day instead of griping about something meaningless and just stick the piece of paper into the copier?!

3. Be humble. (when I have a greater explanation for this one, I will elaborate...)

It is so sad to see those who are still to be considered young professionals as snotty as they are with the AA's. There is no reason to be and without them, you'd have to do the work anyway - so stop being such a pain and stop being so rude and mean, and just appreciate. Appreciate, appreciate, appreciate.

Now the main topic of concern. I have been told in my life that I appear to be unpleasant. I like to have the argument that - it is my face you are calling unpleasant and I am sorry I cannot change what it looks like. However, I do know that there are times where I am presenting more Bitter Betty and Debbie Downer actions rather than Suzie Sorority ones. Human nature, as I like to put it. But what I've realized is that we are all going through this struggle of not understanding how we fit in, what the rules of the game are, and simply - how to survive. As one of the musketeers might advise, learning how to play the game in school took years to perfect. We started at 5 and ended our journey (or paused) at 22. That gave us approximately 17 years to get it right. Now, I admit, there are many people out there who just never figured out the game of school - hence of the fact of them never wanting to return. Others who mastered the game early on - and went to the likes of the top tiered fancy smancy Ivy Leagues or other importantly named ones. And then there was me - learned just in time to secure my place in life, to leave my mark and to remind others that better late than never. (though always show up to meetings early, because if you are on time you are late, and if you are late - you're just up the creek... that was something learned from someone I do truly respect and one of the best bosses I've ever had!) My point is, there have been books written about the Quarter life Crisis. There are shows on television about it. Everyone goes through it (like menopause or the all time famous mid-life crisis) -- but having a chat with someone I never thought I would get along with or have anything in common with really opened my eyes up to the notion of, we are all human, experiencing points in our lives that no one will hand us winning ticket on a silver platter, but sticking together, side by side - and bonding.

Okay, to be totally objective, I understand, not everyone wants to "bond" or wants anyone to even hear about their gripes. But, for my defense, it is always better to engage yourself with other people because those bonds and these situations is what makes us who we are, develops our personalities as adults, and in 40 years have stories that begin with "when I was your age...".

I'm still trying to find motivation... looking for the light at the end of the tunnel... and ultimately searching for the point in our lives at this moment. But, knowing that there are others by my side, whether or not on my team or against me, still experiencing the same issues and crap in corporate America, makes me feel just a little better that I am not alone.

Til next time...