When you’re first starting out in a career, it can be easy to be overwhelmed with a dream to work for your dream company. They’re at the top. Why should they pay attention to you? When you’re in that position, start by targeting smaller companies first.
As business blog Entrepreneur explains, when you’re out of your league, you’re out of your league. Maybe you’re good enough to get a job, but the elites in your field hear from a lot of people who think they’re the best. Rather than trying to pester the top dog until they give you the job you want right off the bat, work on impressing the lower rungs in that field. The more you get your name out there with the people who surround your dream company, the more they hear about you and want to work with you. This strategy can also work with more than just a job:
Sometimes, rather than playing all your cards targeting the world’s best sales prospect, dating opportunity or venture capitalist, you will attain a higher return on investment by starting with targets that are more “in your league.” Impress other key players until the elites have no choice but to pay attention to you.
When you’re first starting out, you have to make a name for yourself. The lower on the totem pole a person or organization is, the more likely they are to listen to you. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever make your way higher. It doesn’t even necessarily mean you’re not good enough to go higher. But you can build a name for yourself before you meet the big guys, so you have something to impress them with.
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Photo by Michael Hicks.