Page 57 - James Caan - Get the Job you Really Want

If there is someone within your organization who has a role
you believe that you would love to be in, why not approach that
person and ask them to be your mentor? If you feel you want
to be in a di≠erent department but you don’t have the experi-
ence – which is inevitably what the company will say – why

not approach the company? Tell them, ‘I’m really happy where
I am. I’m really enjoying it, but from a career perspective I’d like
to get to know the organization better. I’d like to understand

how some of the other functions in the departments work.
I know that Marketing has a meeting once a month, to discuss
strategy. Is it possible for me to join one of those meetings as
an observer?’
The word ‘observer’ is very unthreatening. But taking that

step immediately puts you on the radar of management. Your
proactive initiative tells them, ‘Here is somebody who has put
their hand up.’ People rarely do this. What they tend to say is,

‘I’ve been here for four years and I’ve not been promoted. There
are no career prospects.’
Well, career prospects don’t just happen. Career prospects
are what you create. It’s all down to you. When people do well,
they don’t do well just because the company’s doing well. When

you are doing well, it’s about your achievements, it’s about what
you want. I don’t think enough people understand that.
Companies are built by people: people make a di≠erence,
people make a contribution. Are you going to be part of the
crowd or are you the somebody who stands out in the
crowd?

45 passion