The career catch-22: you can't get the job without experience and you can't
get the experience without the job. One way around this involves identifying
valuable opportunities other may not see.
It is natural and comfortable to be drawn toward the places in an
organization that are successful and running smoothly. But this may not be the
best strategy for success in the workplace. The most significant opportunities
may be found in the most distressed parts of the organization.
There are two forms of permission: direct and implied. Direct is the most
common and readily identifiable source of authority but can be very limiting.
The more you rely on being allowed to do something, the more likely you are to
get stuck when formal permission is absent. Implied permission is more subtle
but potentially much more powerful because it is not given but TAKEN. It occurs
when you are able to create the presumption that permission is yours: by having
the right degrees from a prestigious institution or if you are mentored by a
powerful figure, associated with a leading company or brand, a rainmaker, or a
great creative talent.
Similar to direct permission, implied permission can appear in various forms
but all share a common premise - you are perceived to have permission if no one
has visibly denied it. However, it may backfire if you are labeled as a ruthless
self-promoter who is putting your own interests ahead of those of the
organization. Be careful of putting yourself in a position where you can be
accused of trying to win at the expense of other people. Your peers or
supervisors can torpedo your plans if you don't really have either direct or
implied permission.
So, before you seek to get the experience you need by jumping straight in,
ask yourself a few questions:
