Character really counts

Do what you know and perception is converted into character. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Character really counts

A woman teaching my daughters held up a copy of a magazine with scantily dressed women on the cover. She asked, "What do you expect to find inside?" The answer was, "Pictures and articles about sexy dressing and attracting men." She handed the magazine to a girl and said, "Open it and read from any page." Inside those covers was a religious magazine. The teacher made the comment, "If you dress on the outside like the women on the cover of this magazine, no one will bother to find out that inside you are a woman of character. They won't even consider it a possibility."

Thursday I wrote that perception really is everything. How you are perceived is always critical, especially to yourself. Over time your character is altered by all the little things you do. At first you act to give an impression, but eventually you act from the bone deep character you have developed while impressing others.

Benjamin Franklin was brought up short one day when he realized he had developed a less than brilliant character. He was a smart, hard working man, and becoming successful. He was also avoided by many and of poor reputation in many things. In his autobiography he describes his plan to improve his character. The simple device he used thrust him forward to prominence in the fields of writing, science, diplomacy and politics.

As Benjamin Franklin started working on his character he wrote, "I was surpris'd to find myself so much fuller of faults than I had imagined; but I had the satisfaction of seeing them diminish." He found that if he pretended to have a virtue long enough, he developed it as a part of his character.

I strongly recommend reading and re-reading Benjamin Franklin's short autobiography.

Become the person you would admire.

About Today

This series is about what makes or breaks a job hunt. Reality and the real world. My list of the reasons people get a new job or struggle includes:

Nothing beats a positive unstoppable Helium II attitude.
People who are hurting are terrible employees and everyone knows it.
You have to know your advantages and ruthlessly exploit them.
The people competing against you must be known, measured, and either beaten, eliminated or enticed elsewhere.
You can't make a silk purse out of a buggy whip.
You have to be worth more than you are being paid
A man dying of thirst will still want a bargain on a bottle of water
Perception isn't important, it is everything
Character really counts
Diamonds in the rough don't stay that way
Relax and get cleat marks up your back

Think about your job search. Just think. And then take notes about your conclusions.

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For this week: Zen and the art of getting a job

Tomorrow: Diamonds in the rough

Later: Cleat marks up your back

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My job journal blog is www.reallygreatjob.com . What I am working on.

My newsletter blog is www.howtoreallygetagreatjob.com/blog/

Archived articles are available at http://www.getresponse.com/archive/dailyjobhunter

Thank you for joining my (usually) daily job search newsletter. It will have an attitude and ideas to help you in your job search every day. I'll tell you things I have learned in over a decade of Connecting the Best People, With the Best Companies. Feel free to send it off unchanged to anyone you would like. Or send them the link they need to start receiving their own copy: All they have to do is go to www.agicc.com/lists.htm .

Copyright 2005 by Bryan Dilts. "How to REALLY get a GREAT JOB" and "REALLY get a GREAT" are trademarks of Bryan Dilts. Connecting the Best People, With the Best Companies is a trademark of AGI. All rights reserved.

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Message Added: December 3rd, 2007 at 5:25 am