This supermarket analogy will help you land your dream job
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.”
Hi Ninja,
I recently came across this insightful supermarket analogy.
You may have noticed these 3 types of people in a grocery store queue:
1. The Lazy One: He's okay with standing in the queue for a long time. Sometimes, when it takes too long, he gets frustrated and just leaves the store without buying anything.
2. The Impatient One: He is always looking for a shorter line. He changes lines to save mere seconds, and ultimately, ends up taking way longer than if he had just stuck to the first line.
3. The Smart One: This guy investigates why it’s taking longer than usual. If he hears an issue that will take a long time, he switches his line.
You must be wondering, "Bani, how does this relate to me and my career?"
Look, the bottle is half empty 20 minutes into the workout!
Here's how the different types of people react to some of the most common scenarios in job hunt:
Scenario: "I have applied to 300+ jobs and still haven't received an interview call."
Lazy: This guy just keeps applying—150, 300, 500 applications—and then quits after a while. Why? because nothing is happening.
Impatient: After applying to just 300 jobs, he gets impatient and jumps to another boat. "One of my friends got a job in Project Management. Maybe I should try for that role."
Smart: He understands that something is wrong. Maybe his resume. Maybe his overall approach to applying. Maybe he is not going the extra mile. He takes a step back, analyzes his strategy, and makes the necessary changes.
Scenario: "I don't know which role I should go for."
Lazy: He gets so overwhelmed by the different opportunities he has that he experiences analysis paralysis. Then, he just doesn’t apply and sticks to his minimum-wage job.
Impatient: This guy randomly applies to 5 roles at a time, hoping to get an interview faster.
Eventually, he ends up not getting into any of them.
Smart: He researches different roles, talks to people working in those roles and industries, and even takes on small projects to understand what suits him best.
Remember, just like in the supermarket line, you can choose which type of person you want to be when it comes to your job hunt.
Will you be the one who gives up easily?
The one who jumps from strategy to strategy without giving anything a real shot?
Or will you be the smart one who analyzes, adapts, and perseveres?
The choice is yours.
But remember, if nothing changes, nothing changes.
Keep Blooming,
Bani Singh