My final post on the things you should NOT do this summer (on the last day of summer!) to find a job in DC is be like Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder.
Whether or not you’re an NFL fan, you likely have heard of Snyder.Already a multimillionaire at 34, Snyder bought the Redskins after the death of legendary owner Jack Kent Cooke – making him the youngest owner in NFL history.By all financial measures, his ownership has been a success.It is estimated that Snyder has increased the team’s annual profit by $100 million and they are now believed to generate the second-highest level of revenue in the league, after the Dallas Cowboys.
The Redskins’ performance on the field hasn’t nearly matched that success, however.In the 10 years of Snyder’s ownership, the Redskins have a combined record of less than .500, with just three playoff appearances, and no championships.
Worse is Snyder’s record for appearing to value money over the welfare of Redskin fans.It appears that having among the highest ticket, parking, and concession prices in the league wasn’t enough for the owner.This summer, the Washington Post revealed that the Redskins had begun suing fans who signed ticket contracts but couldn’t pay for the tickets – despite a wait list of 160,000 people willing to buy those tickets.
The worst story was when they sued Pat Hill, a 73-year-old grandmother who had been a season ticket holder since 1963.
Snyder’s parsimony and the Skins’ on field performance has led two national publications to call him one of the Top 5 worst owners in the NFL – and more recently – the worst.
So what’s my point here for you?Don’t place money at the top of your considerations for finding a job – and certainly not for an entry-level job.
Looking at the Redskins example, it’s easy to see that money is just one estimate of how valuable something is.For many jobs, is not a good estimate at all.
How interested would you be, for example, in an opening for a high stress job where you’d make the equivalent of $12.50 an hour, work in cramped conditions, and need to stay nights and weekends. Not so much, eh?
Would it change your mind to know it was an entry-level legislative job in a Senator’s office on Capitol Hill?
At this stage in your career, don’t value your job by the amount of money you’re getting at the end of the day.Unless you’re a bond trader on Wall Street, your valuation will likely come up short.
Instead, look at the intangible elements of the job that can help you down the road, such as:
Are you getting the opportunity meet people who can help you later in life?
Are you getting exposure to interesting and/or important activities that will increase your understanding of the sector you’re in?
Are you seeing a wide range of current events that will make you more aware of the world around you?
Are you developing a relationship with a mentor who can help you make tough career decisions?
Most importantly –
Are you getting to develop the skills that are going to help you be a valuable worker to your employers?
It’s that value that is going to determine your happiness and security in your career.
Seven ways NOT to find an entry-level job in DC this summer
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Seven ways NOT to find an entry-level job in DC – be like Dan Snyder
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