“I have 20 years of experience”. “I am a seasoned vet”. “I've been around the block and I know what I am doing”. All things that people might think are helping them get the employers attention are actually the things that are preventing you from getting the job.
20 years of experience might mean you are un-teachable, bull headed, set in your ways. It could also mean you have been doing this job wrong for 20 years.
Experience is great. People want to hire smart successful people who can act like they have been there. I have seen both sides of experience. I have been blessed to work with seasoned vets who know how to take it to the next level and run up the score on the other guys. Unfortunately, I have also seen the other side of experience. Those people who are stuck in their ways, unable to evolve, adapt or pull the trigger. These people have tons of talent-restrained by their inability to completely tap into it.
In life, I refer to these people as "damn shames". Sounds kind of harsh, but these people have more talent than I have ever dreamed of having! Damn shames are people who could be so good at something, but somewhere along the way they created road blocks for themselves or false limitations-derived from a lack of confidence. Damn shames...could have the world in the palm of their hands, but would rather spend their energy looking for ways to derail themselves or discount their talents. Chances are you know someone like this. Damn shame...
When looking to get your experience level across to an employer, look to your successes to tell the story. Focus on wins and education and not the assumption that "20 years equals I'm 20 times better than everyone else". If you cannot look back at the last 20 years and come up with some solid wins that illustrate your level of ability and actual education (not presumed education based on your years of experience)....you might be a damn shame.
If that's the case, time for you to start over and reinvent yourself. Remove the road blocks you have set for yourself, go against the grain of what you consider conventional wisdom and accept you are prone to being in a rut (and become a damn shame). Wipe the slate clean and let go of the previous 20 years of experience. I am not asking anyone to second guess themselves to death, I am simply suggesting for you to be real and honest with yourself. It's healthy and it's always the right thing to do. The only other options are to keep banging your head against the wall....or you could always look for something else to do?
Pull the trigger.
#pullthetrigger #workexperience #life
