When student ideas hit the reality…
This is already in my head for quite a long time I clearly remember a couple of passionate debates over recent years discussing the famous “JD vs. big name” dilemma.
As an idealist and obviously influenced by AIESEC, I was always saying that I’d prefer an interesting job description in a smaller company with a vision to fulfilling meaningless tasks at a global player’s office. Learning comes before a line in my CV. It’s quite easy to make such a statement when talking about a clearly hypothetical situation.
… and then it comes, real life kicking in.
I started job-hunting quite some time ago, just when I finished my studies. I was looking around for interesting opportunities, focusing on promising JDs – exactly in line with my previous statements.Just for fun and for the possibility to go through a high-quality Assessment Center, I applied with a “big name” as well.
I really enjoyed the Assessment Centre, especially the other participants – current competitors and potential colleagues. What a funny feeling to be suddenly on the other side of the table – being tested, observed, evaluated…Spending a lot of time directly in the national headquarters while getting through the interview rounds, interacting with the employees and having the opportunity to ask as many questions as I wanted also during direct interviews made me somehow hooked up… Learning more and more about the “big name” company created a certain comfort with the environment. Suddenly, I felt confused: Why are they actually the “bad” ones?
More and more doubts coming to my head: how can one line in my CV further influence my life? If I know we won’t stay living in Bratislava, what would increase my chances to get an interesting job in another country in the future? Would a “big name” provide me with a better starting position compared to working for an unknown company? Especially in the context of a recent survey where people start a successful career…Well, then my decision to reject an offer of one of the top 5 career boosters doesn’t look like the best choice of my life.
Despite that, I trust my gut feeling and I am extremely happy in my new job. Since a bit more than 2 months, I work for a start-up company with a clear vision and defined values, creating a concrete benefit for the society I live in. This benefit is rather in the economic area, it has nothing to do with social issues through which I tend to define the “contribution to the society”. Time to re-define my measures, I guess…I learn every day from my inspiring colleagues. We work together as a team. And we do have fun together. We create dynamic environment, full of creativity and new challenges. Man, this sounds either like a slogan or a dream coming true! I never believed that I could experience something like this outside AIESEC.
I already got my very own project – a baby I will be responsible for from the beginning until the end. Lucky me!
The transition from a student to a junior consultant seems to be smooth :)
1 Comments:
Hey there. Long time no see. We should catch up!
I too, faced the reality. Big ideas dont pass trouogh big names. Big potential doesnt mean big what we understand in AIESEC.
What i think right now is that big potential for them means someone that will not have bright ideas, and push the limits, do great things. But someone who will follow them. Someone that they will tell how to think and act.
A material that they will put in atheir machine and become a product.
I too, am doubting a big name company for future. Maybe solution would be my own company.
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