This week we the discussion came up in a conversation with a passive job seeker, about their position and company that triggered the old Fish & Pond cliché.
You see, this Construction Project Manager has been with the same company for 17 years. They work for a top pedigree General Contractor with offices throughout the country and he has made sacrifice after sacrifice to climb the org structure and still has yet to achieve true “management” status. It made me think about the old saying “Are you a Big Fish in a Small Pond or a Small Fish in a Big Pond?” and his reality. He was clearly a small fish in a big pond.
There are four variations of this cliché and deciding which strategy you are invoking can make all the difference in your career and future.
Small Fish – Small Pond. If work is a means to your personal life, this might be a perfect fit for you. For most people, this does not provide growth opportunity & fulfillment unless the small pond is going somewhere big.
Big Fish – Small Pond. This is where influence, and compensation meets responsibility and accountability. For some people, this is the goal. The people that tend to have higher level of influence and stronger overall compensation packages fall into this category. The upside can be spectacular; however, the downside has greater risk than some people can digest. Knowing yourself and the internal fight between risk & reward must be something you are in touch with – intimately.
Small Fish – Big Pond. Large Companies can feel like working for the federal government, where there is more bureaucracy and policy than customers. Most smart college grads work for a top pedigree firm with a great name and reputation that fall into the large company category. They normally have solid training programs, equal treatment, and opportunity to build relationships with a large number of people (which is more valuable than almost anything else). If you are risk adverse, this might be the right place for you. “Slow and steady wins the race” can make a lot of sense for a lot of people. It also may be a great stepping stone in your journey.
Big Fish – Big Pond. You can be a Small Fish in a Small Pond where both you (the Fish) and the Company (the Pond) grow drastically together, a Big Fish in a Small Pond where the Pond expands drastically over time, or you can be a Small Fish in a Big Pond and you grow, develop the right skills landing you as a Big Fish in a Big Pond. This is where very few people find themselves and that is often times by personal choice.
I am not saying you need to be in a Big Fish in a Big Pond to be at your Career Pinnacle, thought leaders and entrepreneur’s are just as important and successful as the leadership teams of the giants we all know in the Construction industry.
So what are the companies looking for? Are they looking for a future Big Fish in a Small Pond or simply a Small Fish in a Big Pond? Something to consider when thinking about your career goals as well as the needs and wants of any company that you might be considering.
