Grrrrr!

In today's highly-competitive world, you need to go the extra mile to prove that you are worthy of that new job or promotion, that high-profile project, or that new client. Why should someone pick you, rather than the next guy... or the next guy in line behind him? There is ALWAYS someone waiting in the shadows to eat your lunch if you are not watching... and holding a big stick.

Do you think that you are safe in your current job? News flash... you aren't. Time and time again, big blue chip con-glom-cos like General Motors, General Electric, and Hewlett Packard have made it very clear that you are expendable.

Do you think that you have enough years of experience to get that new job across town? Think again. There are at least 10 people (maybe 100) that would love to have that job... and they probably have more impressive resumes than yours (or more letters after their names).

Do you think that your rate is competitive enough to land that big project? Nope. In times like these, your competition is cut-throat and will fight you tooth and nail for that work, even if it means that they don't earn a penny of profit.

So what's a person to do? Become an ANIMAL!

An ANIMAL is someone who takes their work so seriously that they cross over into the obsessive. They are a programmer who stays up until 4:00 AM to fix a software bug. They are a salesperson who absolutely does not take "No" for an answer. They are a detective who knocks on every door in New York City until they find their missing person. They are an interior designer who has a headache when a piece of furniture or wall art is 1 millimeter out of place.

Does this describe how you approach your work? Do your co-workers, your boss, or your clients see that you are an ANIMAL for them?

Some people think that when it comes time for your company to make job cuts, that it is completely random where the axe falls. I can assure you, however, that if your boss sees that you are an ANIMAL for your work, she will make sure that the axe does not touch you... and it may instead fall on someone with 10 more years of experience who simply shows up each day and does exactly what is asked of them.

If you can show examples to your interviewer that you are an ANIMAL for your work, then I can also assure you that that new job will be yours, since the other candidates are most likely NOT animals.

Many potential clients select their vendors based strictly on dollars and cents, but many do not; what they really want is someone who will obsess until the project is done and everything is delivered perfectly. They are sick and tired of having crap handed to them. Show them that you are an ANIMAL, and they will be more than happy to pay your higher rates in exchange for perfection.

Grrrrr!