Success After High School

I tell them, yes; I have some good advice for getting a job. In fact, if they follow this advice, they are virtually guaranteed to always have a job.

Here’s the key: Step up and do the job nobody else is willing to do.

In every business, there are duties and tasks nobody wants to do. You know the kind, those duties that are usually trivial, mundane, boring, or just plain hard. It’s humiliating work, but humility is a virtue, and those with virtuous character traits are naturally attractive to others.

And don’t worry about being typecast in that role. If you’re willing to do the grunt job nobody else is willing to do, and do it well, you won’t be stuck doing that job for long. You will soon get noticed. And you won’t have much competition, either. You’ll become known as the go-to for getting it done, the one who takes care of things, who solves the boss’s problem.

You’ll be promoted because your superiors will realize you’re too valuable to leave in your current position. Hardworking, talented people are very difficult to find. Your strong work ethic and perseverance will pay off. You will eventually become the person the boss doesn’t want to live without.

Early in my radio career, I wanted to break into programming but didn’t know how. One day I offered to help set up an auditorium music test that the program director was conducting at a local hotel that evening. He said no, he didn’t need the help. The fact was, he didn’t want any jocks (I was the midday personality) involved with the research process.

But I was dying to see how the whole thing worked. I didn’t take no for an answer. I looked over at all the equipment stacked against the wall, then looked back at him and told him I’d load everything into the van, help set up on-site, and then tear down afterwards. He thought for a minute, then grudgingly told me to be here by 5:30 that afternoon … and don’t be late. I was in.

After the music test, the PD saw my genuine interest in what he was doing and my willingness to do what it took to help solve his problem. I volunteered to do the heavy lifting and set up every music test after that. He began to take me under his wing and show me the ropes.

Within months, I was running the research phone room (stations did their own callout research in those days), scheduling the phone kids, and helping compile the music scores. It wasn’t long before I became MD, then APD, and eventually PD. That fateful day, volunteering to do the grunt work nobody wanted to do changed my life.

Always go the extra mile; it could change your life, too.

Be a team player. Help others on your team whenever possible. Doing so will help the team succeed, and you’ll build goodwill among your peers. Your teammates are the same people who will help you someday.

Being a team player means helping others without worrying about taking credit. You will get noticed for your good work without having to beat your own drum. Those who are quick to take credit for their accomplishments often come off as boorish and braggadocios.

I know, I know, we are told countless times that if we don’t beat our own drum nobody else will. Well, there’s more than one way to beat your own drum. Actions really do speak louder than words, so let your hard work and God-given ability speak for themselves. You don’t have to keep completely silent, just be careful about coming off as a braggart.

I realize all of this is much easier said than done, but if you can remember just two things: to go the extra mile and to help others along the way, you’ll be positioned for success, and you’ll always have a job. Even if you’re not just graduating high school.