In our busy world, we often want to go from point A to Point B as fast as possible. We want to bypass many essential learning opportunities.
When I returned to school to finish my bachelor’s degree and then advanced to earning a master’s degree, I wanted to complete the programs in the shortest time possible. The same is often said in our careers. The expectation among High School and college graduates, even those returning to the workforce, is that people want to skip the front-line jobs and jump right into the middle or at the top. All of our journeys begin in the frontline entry-level positions. There is valuable learning that occurs in entry-level jobs.
There is no fast track to the road to success. There are detours and lane changes. Sometimes we get off course. What we thought we wanted to do is often not where we end up. On the other hand, the possibilities out there are more than we can ever dream of. When I was preparing to graduate high school I was accepted to a College of Art and Design thinking I would go into print publication design. I was very interested in desktop publishing and magazine layouts. After completing my freshman year, I took a break from school and tried a variety of jobs, including retail, office work, and substitute teaching among the few jobs I experienced. I learned there were some that I did not like at all. They all taught me skills and when I look back with a 20/20 vision, I recognize the things that each experience taught me.
Do not try to speed your way through frontline positions. On the front lines, we learn valuable skills that will help us move through promotions, jobs, and life.
Some of the essential skills taught include:
- Communication
- Customer service
- Adaptability
- Positive Attitude
- Teamwork
- Work Ethics
- Initiative
- Problem Solving
- Experience
- Passion
Employers need to create environments that provide advancement opportunities. Employees need to be curious and hard-working and ask for those opportunities.
Stephen Covey said: “You have to travel the road. You can’t be successful with other people if you haven’t paid the price of success yourself.”
Success is a journey, not a destination. It is starting, stopping, and starting again. Success comes with many failures and success changes as we journey along the road. No matter where you are on the road, always find ways to learn, grow, and seize opportunities. Your journey to success is different from mine, and that is how it should be. Take those entry-level positions, learn new skills and help others along the way. Our success is developing ourselves and helping others.
By Cheryl Viola, Executive Director/CEO, MBA