Entitlement mentality

Entitlement mentalityI expect this blog will upset a few people.

But I'm okay with that. Because this is something I've been meaning to talk about for a long time, something that is fundamental to your success.

I've coached and supported thousands of job seekers over the last five years, and what I've found is that many of them -- too many -- were being held back from landing their dream job, all because of this one thing:

Entitlement mentality.

Several years ago now, I landed a job in a kitchen.

I walked in on my first shift expecting to make friends. They treated me like shit. I was "the purple shirt guy". They all knew my name was Alan, but they called me "purple shirt guy", to my face. I was an outsider.

For a while, I resented that.

I gritted my teeth and mumbled curses under my breath.

After a few weeks, though, I checked my attitude, put my head down, and focused on learning the ropes and getting good at my job.

Do you know what I discovered?

These co-workers were actually good people. They were used to being let down and, effectively, screwed over by newbies who messed up orders and put the entire kitchen behind schedule. When push came to shove, their bosses treated them like crap too. I had to earn their trust and respect.

Look, I know you have a wealth of experience, expertise, and knowledge. Make no mistake, employers acknowledge and value what you have to offer.

However, it does not automatically entitle you to the job.

I'll say again:

You are not entitled to a job.

When you walk into an interview, you're just another candidate. The onus is on you to prove your worth, and earn the interviewer's trust and respect.

There is no getting around this.

Next time you're sitting across from an interviewer who's younger than you, don't resent them for making you jump through hoops for a job you know you can do in your sleep. Don't resent the process or the fact that you're being asked to prove yourself. Be humble. Show them what you have to offer.

If you prepare for the process in earnest, just like how I show you in Interview Success Formula, you will earn their respect.

And not just polite, perfunctory respect -- but authentic respect.

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.