You are reading the FRACAT Blog Archive (also known as "FRACAT 1.0") for all posts prior to October 29th, 2007.
Crawling Around Inside The Boss’ Head Week (CAITBHW) - Day 1 - Crawling 101
Something I love about my life as the head FRACATeer is the variety. I run my own business, I do recruiting, I do contracting, I create and recreate a popular website, I do writing… The list is long and exciting.
Maybe it’s the ADD, but I just get bored quickly. My entrepreneurial life is the kind of variety I could never get in a corporate environment, which is probably why I periodically frustrated everyone around me.
The thing that saved me from being fired regularly is that I also have a pretty good work ethic and I focus on getting results. And, in hanging around with you folks (most of whom think the same way), sometimes, I forget that other kinds of people exist.
I recently had an experience that reminded me that there are people out there who don’t know the secret of “Crawling Around Inside The Boss’ Head”.
I hope that’s not you, but if by chance you don’t know this secret of improving your career, this week is for you!
BEGINNER CRAWLING 101: WHY YOU WERE HIRED IN THE FIRST PLACE
To start off easy, it helps to understand what the “Boss Man” was thinking when he hired you. Here, for all of the 101 students, is the “Cycle of Hiring and Firing”:
- In the Beginning, the “Boss Man” Makes All of the Money… - He does all of the work and takes home all of the money. It’s a pretty simple and satisfying system.
- But Then Things Get Too Busy… - Soon, the “Boss Man” either can’t get everything done or can’t have a life outside of his business. However, if the job doesn’t get done, he loses money. So, he starts to think of alternatives.
- And He Hires You! - You seem to have the skills to do something the “Boss Man” doesn’t want to. So, he pays money to make the problem go away. You’re hired!
- You Stay Employed… - You take care of the problem that the “Boss Man” laid out for you in a way where he doesn’t have to worry about it any more. You’re so good!
- Until You Become Too Expensive… - At some point, the “Boss Man” gives you raises and other incentives (maybe health care, a 401(k), a company car, or whatever). Eventually, it could happen that the money he’s paying you is more than the benefit of having the problem taken care of. Then, you’re fired.
- Or You are More Trouble than the Original Problem. Perhaps you’re rather whiny. Or a problem child. Or need constant direction. Whatever it is, perhaps dealing with you takes more time for the “Boss Man” than the original problem. At that point, it costs more to have you than to lose you. So, you’re fired.
If you don’t understand this cycle, you are destined to fail, blame everyone around you, and then set out to do it all over again.
Tomorrow: An Example of What NOT Being Inside the Boss’ Head Looks Like
Enjoy the Search!
Dan
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Daniel R. Sweet
Owner / Author / Chief Cook-And-Bottle-Washer
FRACAT.com - Free Resume and Career Toolbox
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielrsweet
Call Me On Jaxter: http://www.jaxtr.com/fracat
Photo by: shazow
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