Hi Betty!

Martin’s advice was right on the money, wasn’t it? He cut straight to the core, with wisdom that may be painful for executive job seekers who think they’ll easily slide into their next job, just as they had in the past. I also find that too many haven’t grasped the fact that job search doesn’t work the way it used to.

Thanks for commenting!
Meg

Aw, shucks, Susan. You’re too kind!

I see it all the time — executives mistaking their good luck in having progressively successful careers for supreme talent, or even worse, entitlement. They feel they’re better than all the competition. That’s why they’ve excelled in the past, and that’s why they deserve to keep getting ahead. It’s sometimes true, but certainly not always, or maybe even often.

To come into a job search with that kind of attitude, in this kind of job market, is plain craziness.

Thanks for the lovely comment,
Meg

And applicable to everyone, not just executives.

The one that resonates the most for me is the first one. Regardless of job level (and not restricted to careers), it is so easy for all of us to mistake our dumb luck for intelligence and talent. I know I do it.

I had a boss a long time ago who had a favorite saying, “It’s better to be lucky than good.” At the time, I thought it was wrong, and he was crazy. It is kind of “dark” and not completely true, of course. But, not completely wrong either.

Such a consistently excellent blog, Meg!