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Join me for an interview with Dan Vigil focused on 7 tips to getting a good job or a better one than the one you currently have!
Dan’s original post: https://www.facebook.com/notes/dan-vigil/how-to-get-a-good-job/10154600605076124
I see a lot of people on FB talking about politicians “creating jobs,” and “paying for college so I can get a good job,” and complaining, “the only jobs I can get are retail, sweeping floors, stocking shelves etc.”So, I thought I’d help. Here’s a short primer on going from stocking shelves to CEO in the real world — from someone who has done it. It’s really quite simple. But, simple isn’t always easy. Check it out:
1. Be consistent. I want to be the guy the boss can bank on. I show up at the same time. Have the same level of appearance. The same attitude. The same work ethic. Rain, shine, sleet, hail, good news, bad news, sick, healthy – I am 100% consistent.
2. Always early. I show up 15 minutes early for work every time. When my official start time comes, I am already working. I’m not walking through the door looking for a place to set my coffee down and change into my uniform.
3. Never idle. Once I punch in, I work. At McDonald’s they taught me the phrase, “Got time to lean, got time to clean.” I live by that. Pay attention: it doesn’t matter if it’s MY job. If there’s work to do, and I can do it, I do. And, I do it joyfully. I never gripe that I’m doing someone else’s job. I keep a fast pace. I move with purpose.
When I was 19 I got a job on the sales counter at Fingerle Lumber. I stood at the closest register to the door so if there was only one customer in the store he would come to me. (Others stood at the opposite end, only serving customers when the store got busy.) If there were no customers in the store I called old leads. If there were no old leads I stood at the counter and read product manuals to understand the products we had better. Just a couple months later they promoted me to outside sales, gave me an office and my first cell phone. It was the fastest promotion in nearly 100 years of company history, and I was the youngest person ever in outside sales… all because of my hustle.
4. Great attitude. I smile. I’m polite and courteous to everyone – the customer, the boss, my fellow employees. I’m easy to get along with.
Now, here’s how I get ahead:
5. I ask questions. I want to truly understand the company I’m working for. What is its history? What are its goals? What is its culture? What does it view as its product, and how can I help deliver that? How did my boss get started with the company, or start the company? I learn about my company, which helps me do a better job and makes me more valuable, and in the process I demonstrate I’m interested in more than my check.
6. I learn on my time. I was a bouncer at 18 making $7.50 an hour. The DJ was making $25/hour + tips. One day, no DJ, no one to cover, big problem for the club. So, I went to the boss. I said, “Hey, I could come in, off the clock, sit with the DJ and learn how to do what he does. That way if we’re ever in a pinch like this again I can fill in.” Because I was Mr. consistent, worked hard, and always had a good attitude they were happy to show me the job, and, soon I was making that $25 + tips instead of the $7.50. More: When I was running my brick paving company I had skilled guys who could lay the bricks, laborers who helped them, and me who sold the jobs. In three years of operation only one laborer expressed an interest in learning to lay the bricks, and no skilled layer ever asked to learn how to sell the jobs. Imagine how I, as the boss, would have responded to the question, “Hey El Jeffe, are you doing any bids this weekend? Mind if I get dressed up and come along off the clock? I’d like to learn how to do that.” Still more: One of the problems in our society is we believe education only happens in school. If you want to have a good job, you have to go to college. I think this is garbage. If you want to have a good job, get an education – and that education may be in college, in books, at seminars or on the job. Be passionate about your growth, educate yourself, and apply it in the workforce. You’ll do well.
Even more: Many companies and many owners (myself included) will help a great worker, a great employee, go to college to get skills to continue climbing the ladder. Corporate America has a lot of executive with high level degrees and no work ethic. If I spot work ethic and loyalty, I’m willing to help (loan, pay half, co-sign, whatever) that person get their degree.
7. Be a servant. A lot of people let their ego get in the way of doing good work. Don’t forget you’re in the company to serve the boss and the customer. I live by Zig Ziglar’s words, “You can have everything you want in life, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”