Some people may not want to believe this, but three specific characteristics inevitably go with the acquisition of most truly great jobs. If you’re going to have difficulty with any of these characteristics, you’re going to end up with a middle or lower-middle position, paying nothing more than an ordinary salary. Or, you’ll end up on the streets.
Another insight: The effectiveness of flattery.
And if this is new to you, get real. With few exceptions, this is the job turf. It’s true in all professions, but to a lesser degree than in business. But even university faculty are learning that their so-called tenure position come with similar turf. Sure, there are exceptions, but they are few.
First, great jobs always have a risk quotient built into them. By risk I’m referring to the possibility of loss. There are a lot of reasons for this. In a fast-moving economy, slow moving firms and executives often lose out to smart, well-positioned competitors. Smart firms are always working on better growth options. So sometimes firms, the professions of law and medicine as well as educational institutions, lose out because of dated strategies. So, great jobs can be dissolved.