You bring this to an employer

You bring this to an employer

Three people I know and like have unexpectedly found themselves looking for new employment, during the last three months. This came to mind last week as I was writing Blog # 21, Why Did He Hire Me? My three friends all chose and were accepted by new employers in a short time. Why? Reputation; each had built a personal reputation.

Each one had been conscientious and done the best job they could with their God given talents, during the time they worked for their former employers. They made certain the products they worked on were good and they never spoke ill of their employers or peers. None of them had looked for a new position in at least three years. Yet they created a reputation that went before them and made them desirable to the employers they chose.

I often audio record my seminars and workshops. I particularly do this when the material is new, as in, the first time I have done a seminar on the subject. The experience of these three people prompted me to listen to a seminar I taped some time ago because in it I had stressed the point that we must always do the best we can in our present position. What I heard was me exhorting the audience to do everything in their power to make the company they work for, successful. I repeated that message three times because the company was going through a difficult time and they were the only people, who could bring it back to health.

I gave them a reason for doing this that some had not thought of: their personal reputations. I told them there are no secrets in this world. Your company's competitors take the trouble to know what kind of quality you are putting into your products. They know the pricing. They know what your customers think of the product you are delivering and how well you care for them. I pointed out that their company's competitors knew of its problems and were watching to see if they would be overcome.

Those competitors are the people you will be talking to for employment when you leave your present positions. If you have made this company successful in overcoming its problems, you will be looked at as desirable and will be able to choose who you work with. If you have not, you will be in a weak position because every employer will know that it failed because you and your peers didn't do your best. Your reputation will speak for you.

This answers the question posed in Blog # 21. Mr. X hired me because of my reputation. I did not know or realize this then, but it was the only reason he could have had. I'd communicated my experience, work habits, attitude toward work and life, to the professor during the two semesters of night School at IIT. He knew I was punctual, listened, thought before talking and paid attention to details, which showed in my test answers and top line grades. I didn't think about building a reputation, I just did my best. I was too young at 25 to know that attitude was so important and so visible. Six years later my employer, Ralph Sweeney, would drive home its importance.

In my book, The Perception Of A Difference, The Power In Buying, Marketing, Selling, Customer Care (page 185) I tell the story of my first selling career promotion; it was totally unexpected and I asked Ralph,

"Why me, I'm the least experienced, lowest seniority salesperson in the District?

"Attitude . . .attitude . . . attitude." (He said it slowly, firmly, with conviction.)

You will have to read the book to know what he said to reinforce that, but I learned that when doing your best for others and your employer, is your attitude your reputation makes many good things possible.


Wes Zimmerman