Do you believe you aren’t getting paid enough for what you do? Do you feel that you have been overlooked regarding a promotion? If you believe this is true then it’s time you shop you talents. It’s time to look around. You need to think as a free agent. No one but yourself is stopping you from looking what is available. And when you look, don’t be afraid to reach for the sky. Believe in yourself. A great movie about a person truly believing in himself is Rudy.
Your Talents are Unique
Everyone has value in the workplace regardless of what they do. Your talent definitely plays a role but so does your knowledge and experience. So many people take what they know as common knowledge to others, which can be the farthest from the truth. For example, I have the candid ability to troubleshoot processes and implement the appropriate corrective action. Since it came so easily to me, I often thought that it was common knowledge to others. It took some time but I eventually learned it was a given talent that I had. Realize you have a given talent that makes you unique and valuable which isn’t ordinary to others.
The athletes in professional sports are already talented, otherwise they wouldn’t have made it to where they are. However, there are some elite players that are very talented. These elite players bring great value to their team. Yet in most sports their value has a very short life span
because as they get older, they start slowing down and that decline reduces their value from elite to just average. However, these sports figures have an avenue called “Free Agency” where they have the ability to accept offers from different teams. They have a short window to maximize their income based on their natural given talent. Very few teams are loyal to a lot of players. Yes, some teams are loyal to players during their best years but aren’t that loyal once that player drops from the elite status.
Thinking as a Free Agent
So, start thinking of yourself as a Free Agent. Understand your talents and knowledge. Realize what you have and know might not be common to others. Recognize that you might need to shop your talents and knowledge around to maximize your income. As you increase your knowledge and experience there is a great possibility that your value will increase. Keep your resume up to date. Look on-line for jobs. Be willing to fill out applications.
As you know, companies have a bottom line to meet and or exceed. Upper management is incentivized to increase revenue and profit. If they can retain your employment at a lower cost, they will definitely do so. Here are two examples of how an internal promotion did net the employee the value they were worth when compared to an outside hire for the same position. I’ve heard too many times that new employees are making more money than the people that have been there for years. And yet, they’re doing the same job.
Know your talents, increase your knowledge and think like a Free Agent.
