Madam,

Please permit me to share an experience that is etched in my memory - one that demonstrates the power of enthusiasm and passion.

A few years ago, one of my students came to me for advice. Her
dilemma was that the firm which was visiting the campus for recruitment was looking out for marketing professionals, and this student had specialized in HR. And yet, she was passionate about working for the firm partly because of its renowned HR practices.

The bright student that she was, she cracked the aptitude test, group discussion and initial interview. The final interview was in another city, and was a common process for all colleges across the country. The student had to wait for two full days and she was the last candidate to be interviewed. The Chairperson of the selection panel asked her: "you've been waiting for two days. How does it feel?" She promptly replied: "the early bird gets the worm and the last one gets the job." As she recalled later, the next 20 minutes were spent on where and from whom (yours faithfully) had she heard the quote, what it meant to her and so on. Only as a parting shot did the Chairperson comment: "you've specialized in HR and yet you have appeared for this interview." Imagine her surprise and shock when she found her name to be the first among the selected candidates (from a pool of over 150).

Thankfully, she joined the firm and seven years later, heads their HR function. One reason why I am fond of telling my students: if you dare to dream, and pursue that with passion and determination, there really are no limits on what you can achieve. Perhaps the greatest satisfaction that one gets in academia is when students succeed beyond imagination and still have the time and humility to remember you with gratitude (as another student did just this morning)

Thank you for rekindling a special moment.

Warm Regards

I'd like to put in a plug for portfolio working as a strategy for finding the ideal job. As somebody who has paying roles in business, lecturing and politics, I often joke I have the best job in the world - just for three different employers.

I was inspired to do this by a business mentor who remarked (during a period of corporate uncertainty) that I should develop a Plan B and a Plan C, and polish them up until they became better than Plan A. As a Generation X-er, I thought this was an excellent way to avoid dependency on a single employer.

The delight of working across several different areas is being able to see how different areas work in practise (rather than in theory), plus the ability to transfer learnings and confound expectations. Since pursuing this strategy, I have grown rapidly in all three areas of my work: it's been quite a ride.

So, instead of looking for the perfect job, there is something to be said for building your own.

I'm sorry, but I don't believe that "Holding Out for the Ideal Job" is practical or worthwile today, especially for recent graduates. This sense of "entitlement" that today's youth have just because they managed to get out of college with a degree is disgusting. I watch newly graduated kids all the time in my industry turn their noses up at 35-40k a year jobs because somehow they got the idea that entry level work was beneath them. So what happens? They end up living back at home off of mom and dad, while their student loans start to rack up, and delay their entrance into society as an adult and contributing member. Get a job, any job, while you look for your ideal. But actually working is worth 10 times more than cherrypicking your way through life.

I feel like i started late in my academia. First going to college at 18 and then droping out a year and half later to work, so i could keep up with the bills ( big mistake!) after three years i worked at citibank, jp tuerner, and other lousy jobs, i decided to go back to school at 23. Finanly graduated with a B.S management technology and im trying to get a job in the financial field which right now is hard. But i wish i would of been smart enough or some one would of told me in my teenage years that to get a good job you have to go to a B-School, a ivy league school to get into almost any firm in the city this days. So you shouldent hold out on that damn job your advice does not work for everyone, thanks!

While Tammy has already sumarised at the end that "don't settle for a work relationship that is just so-so"... what is meant here is that one should be aware of one's strengths (core competence) and should be aware of the matching customer who requires this

i agree with coments being posted here by different freinds in response and esp when Mr Krishnamurthy has qouted the example...but these are examples which does not replicate with each individual and gives confidence and support that this can also happen and one should be ready with open arms to catch such opportunities

so taking both ideal and practical approach....one should definitely be on lokk out out for a matching job because matching parts only make a machine run well

I agree with the thoughts expressed by some of the readers that students who are starting out in their careers should not waste too much time seeking their dream jobs. While getting a job with a company or industry of their liking is an definite advantage, the more inportant thing is to get started.
Fresh graduates, oftentimes may have a preference that may not be compatible with their skills and values. The only way to find out is to get your hands dirty by taking on a job. I can say that right after my MBA i got jobs that although did not excite me, were fertile grounds to me to learn and make a determination of what I ultimately decided was my calling ie becoming an entrepreneur. So while the article does make sense for experienced people, my advise to fresh graduates is "go get a job and learn all you can".
Regards
Suresh Kumar

your idea is very applicable to the countries that belong to a first world, how about those belong to third worlds or developing countries whose economy is in regression. Can you still choose the job which you think you like most, that touches your excitement and enthusiasm. Just to think of a certain scenario where a company is hiring an accountant or an engineer and the company hires only 1 while the applicants line in nmumber of 50 or 100. I dont think so if your idea works.

I thank you for sharing yor energitic approach and experience

Ally Ladak
student