Would you hire yourself?
I have a friend, let’s call him Tom. Tom is trying to get a job in Investment Banking (one of the most prestigious and high paying jobs you can get today). Tom has been spending hours every day knocking down doors trying to get an interview. But the problem is, Tom hasn’t been landing any interviews, and he doesn’t know why. To him, he’s putting in the work - he’s ‘hustling’ every day.
I felt sorry for Tom for the longest time - why can’t someone just give the poor guy a chance? But then I asked myself a question: If I was hiring for an Investment Banking position, would I hire Tom? Well, no.
Does he have experience in the field? No. Is he better than most candidates? Nope. Does he have rare skills that the company wants? Not that I know of.
So why would anyone hire him? He doesn’t bring anything to the table, apart from a fierce appetite to learn and make money.
Instead of asking how to get something, ask what you can do for it. Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes, or your date’s shoes, or your friend’s shoes. Would you hire yourself / date yourself / be your own best friend?
If the answer is no, then there is work to be done.
As JFK said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”.