Job candidates often look at the employers they pursue like a fashion statement – and that’s especially true for young people.
Music, sports, television and other entertainment-related businesses are certainly sexy. People are attracted to companies in these sectors like moths to a flame – and often with the same result.
And I perfectly understand. After all, telling your friends, at the class reunion, that you work for a record label gives you a certain “coolness factor” you just can’t get with a waste management company.
Frankly, I blame much of this problem on colleges and technical schools. They create glossy brochures and slick web sites describing their academic programs in sports administration, the music business, broadcasting, etc…, – and students flock to the programs with visions of fame and fortune. Unfortunately, the stark reality is that very few graduates (after their internship) ever land long-term, fulfilling and lucrative positions in their sexy field of choice. Only a handful of people do – and that’s just enough to attract another bumper crop of new students.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a big believer in following your passion – even if the odds are stacked against you. However, if your passion for one of these business sectors isn’t a full-blown obsession – and you aren’t prepared to work twice as hard as nearly everyone around you – for sub-market level wages, for years – you need to quickly reassess your plan.
The lesson: If you aren’t prepared for the Herculean sacrifice and high risks associated with success in these fashionable industries – turn your passion for music, sports or entertainment into a hobby, and find an alternative plan that can be personally fulfilling and meets your needs.
THE COMMON TRAPS:
Wages are often lower than similar positions in other industries and it’s difficult to make up for lost time. Companies that make up the “sexy industries” know that they are wildly attractive to job candidates – and you can be certain that employers play this to their advantage. I routinely see people who spend years in such companies – earning a fraction of what they would typically earn – all for the “coolness factor”. Granted, you can name-drop celebrities and athletes you’ve met – but you can’t pay your bills with great stories. Added to the problem is that you can’t instantly make up for lost time – when it comes to compensation – once you enter a more mainstream job.
Working in a sexy business sector is often addictive and very difficult to escape. For some, the line between their work and social life is blurred to the point where losing their job is tantamount to losing their identity and their friends. Some won’t move on – even when they are bored and their family is under a mountain of debt. It’s hard to escape when you’ve spent years defining yourself in such a one-dimensional way.
It’s easy to get typecast by your sexy industry. No matter how unfair, it’s hard to convince a healthcare company or pet food manufacturer that your experience promoting Tim McGraw and Faith Hill will translate into success in their businesses. Plus, when you attempt to leave a sexy industry – the potential employer is afraid they are a temporary “port in the storm” – while you are looking for your next “cool job”.
There are often a few rungs left out of the proverbial career ladder. For instance, for a sports team, you’ll often find a few low-level positions and a couple of high-level positions in the marketing department. It’s as if someone removed six rungs in the middle of a ten-rung ladder. So, where are the mid-level jobs? Well, those went to the teams’ ad agency, web design company and their other outsourced vendors.
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