When you walk down the produce aisle and look for the perfect orange you will look for one that is rich, vibrant and drenched in color. The thinking is, the more orange the peel, the better the orange. As you’ve probably learned the hard way, the peel has zero correlation to sweetness, juiciness or overall flavor.
Looking for a job can be like shopping for an orange. Four thoughts:
– Most oranges are actually green when picked. This means that the farmer (it is farmers that grow oranges, no?) had no idea what the quality of the orange was when picked. The same goes for that new job you are considering. The hiring manager might tell you about the amazing growth potential you will experience. Or how you’ll be working with some of the most talented folks in the biz. But until you roll up your sleeves and actually work there for a few weeks, you have no clue what it’s going to be like. During the interview, make it your business to check under the peel. You might still come home with a dud, but your odds are better when you can look beyond the peel.
– Manipulate your orange. To turn oranges orange in color they are dyed (thankfully now banned in most if not all U.S. states) or they are "gassed" to break down the chlorophyll that makes them green. If you do come home with a "bad apple" of a job (now I’m running rampant with fruit puns, sorry!) do your best to "turn it orange." I’ve been fortunate enough to work for some big media companies in the past, and I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that I was extremely let down by the experience. But to people I mention these companies to, they still see an bright, ripe orange. I used to try to tell them that the taste was sour and runny – but no one wants to buy green oranges. So I’ve learned to sell ’em orange.
– Nothing rhymes with orange. This is important because only YOU know what work happiness is for YOU. What works for your brother, mother or co-worker Bob will not work for you. All the career books and blogs in the world can’t tell you what true work satisfaction is. No, not even this one. But you should still subscribe! Whether you feel it’s time to move on, quit, transition your career, go back to school, etc. – follow your gut. Nothing rhymes with orange and nothing rhymes with you.
– Don’t get mad when you get fooled. I can tell you about orange shopping until I’m blue in the face, but one thing is certain: we will all still get fooled. Books will always be judged by their covers – it’s a fact of life – the best you can do is stay aware that the peel means nothing. And if that doesn’t work, go buy some apples!
Leftover punniness: A rind is a terrible thing to waste. Don’t let your boss make pulp out of you.
Feel free to leave your fruity-related career business below.
Leave a Reply