Generational Networking (That Box)

Last night, I was speaking with my dad about the intangibles that people often overlook such as networking and being my own entity no matter what I do.  This is one of the things I have been taught from an early age...all done completely by design. Lately, our conversations on this topic have increased as he is now looking for a position.  We have been back and forth offering help to one another.  He mostly helps me with experience and I with the new ways that are vital to networking in the world today.

One particular aspect we discussed last night is that people try to create these boxes for us to fit into.  My dad has never been like that and as a result I was never raised that way.  For instance, my dad has run small companies for over 30 years; so now, when people want to interview him they have trouble putting him into a category.  The same is true with me.  My resume shows me striving to wear several hats at each stop along the way.  I get responses from HR people like, "Oh, you've done well in sales; but you also did marketing and..."  I've become accustomed to seeing that confused and eager look in their eye.  Another scenario is that they think they are just getting a typical media salesperson so they expect me to rant about only my medium  When I discuss my outlook on the industry as a whole, they are taken aback.  It's like I'm 5 years ahead in my thinking of where I should be.

I took a colleague of mine to lunch today.  He is in his early 30's, and to put it mildly, extremely accomplished for his age.  Through a story, he worked hard to bring me from his mid-20's to the present.  He thought he was preaching to me, but I told him that I was engulfed.  The man is with a company now that recently went through an M&A process, so they are in a transition phase.  The bottom line is that he has his eye open for the right opportunity.  Frankly, we're both surprised he has yet to open his second company.  Anyway, one thing he commented on is that when a hiring manager finds that rare person with experience beyond their age (that box) they're supposed to fit into, they aren't quite sure what to do.  That's where the selling comes into play.  My friend broke it down like this:

20's: Having fun and trying new things.
30's: Starting to create a path of where you should be going.
40's: It's time to arrive and make some noise.
50's: It's time to start giving back.

I called my dad immediately after lunch to tell him about it.  I found it somewhat serendipitous that the conversations that had taken place in the past 24 hours.  He agreed and had more to comment.  I deduced that my dad at 23-45 was about 15 years ahead of where was supposed to be.  My friend is easily 8 years ahead of the curve.  My self-assessment is about 3-5 years.

I think there are those of us out there who are hungry and don't fall into these categories.  The resume gets us in the door, but it's up to us to prove the experience and forward-thinkingness.  It's one thing to discuss our progressive thoughts; but I think what has to be proven is that as experience is gained, we know how to utilize it properly once attained.