If Your Career Were a Snake, Would It Bite You in the ...?

I had an illuminating experience last week that led me to pose this question to you. The experience involved shipping and packaging. So, you might ask: “How is this related to my career development?” Please indulge me, and read on!

My company, InStep Consulting, recently submitted a proposal to an organization seeking training and development services. Due to the critical nature, I decided to call the Purchasing department on the due date to confirm our proposal had been received. I’d already tracked the package via FedEx, and noted it had been recorded as delivered at 9:37 AM. However, at 10:00 AM, the Purchasing department could not locate our proposal. I made a follow-up call to FedEx to confirm what I read on their website. Of course, the representative could not offer any new information; however, he did offer to contact the driver to confirm that the package had been delivered to the organization’s office (not just the building). In the meantime, I emailed a copy of the delivery confirmation I’d downloaded off the website to the Purchasing director.

I’ll fast-forward to my last conversation with the Purchasing director that afternoon, which went something like this:

PD: “The delivery confirmation you sent does not show a delivery address. Are you sure that your package was addressed correctly?”
CE: “Yes, the package was addressed to your organization to the attention of your proposal reviewer. I provided your shipping address to my production company, Printers-R-Us. Printers-R-Us shipped my proposal to you directly.”
PD: “Wait a minute, did you say Printers-R-Us?”
CE: “Yes, why do you ask?”
PD: “Oh, I have a package from Printers-R-Us right here – it’s been here since early this morning! I was looking for a proposal from InStep Consulting. You’re all set!”

Ok, maybe you’re still wondering why I chose to recall this story. Upon reflecting on my experience, I thought of some potential applications. When things are too close, we can’t always see the whole picture. For example, when you hold a book too close to your face, the words are too blurry to read.

In your career, have you ever missed out on a project or opportunity that was right “under your nose?” When you found out about it later, did you wonder how you overlooked it? Luckily, in this story, I was able to help the director find the proverbial “snake” (or proposal) by describing a bit about our production process. That conversation helped her to “adjust her lens” and find the package on her desk. Are you able to step back and “adjust your lens” to discover potentially hidden career opportunities?

The miscommunication described in my story also can apply to career development and exploration. The director was looking for a proposal (and, thus, a package) with my company’s name. While the proposal inside clearly indicated my company name, the package more clearly referenced the production company. Does your “career packaging” – perhaps in the form of a resume or cover letter – convey the best impression of your accomplishments?

Just food for thought -- let me know what you think. Take care, and don’t let the career “snake” bite YOU!