Rae La Soul

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This post is a part of the Corporate Life Series that provides insight in regards to life & how to thrive within Corporate America.

About two weeks ago, our company had it’s groundbreaking ceremony for our new facility that will be built in the next two years. I’ve never been to a groundbreaking ceremony before so I didn’t know what to fully expect. I imagined that I’d be in the room with a lot of people, mainly those who I’ve only seen on television, but I never thought that I’d be as close as I was. I received an email earlier within the week that I had been selected to “represent” the company along with a few other people.

This representation allowed me to stand beside a few major figures in our state. I got to meet the governor of our state, the mayor of our city, as well as being up close and personal with corporate executives of the company that I work for. It was cool being on the news again. It was exciting and still pretty surreal but it was an awesome experience.

  I have an awesome employer. And after a brief pow-wow with the company’s CFOs, I realized that this is where I want to be. Lately, there have been a few companies that have reached out to me requesting a meeting to discuss other opportunities. These companies are a few of the same companies that sent their “While we were impressed with your skills, we feel there are other candidates that meet our needs more closely” or something similar almost 6 months ago. Not even a full 48 hours and I was rejected. And now they see how valuable I could have been to their company since I currently work for one of the world’s top recognizable brands.

What will matter is not your success but your significance… –Michael Josephson

My responses were cordial. I am aware of how crucial it is to keep bridges in tact. You never know who you’ll run into. This world is smaller than you think, and the IT world? Even smaller.

I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy sending those emails to say I’m not interested at this time because I did. I smiled as I let my fingers dance across my keyboard, rendering a response. I savored it and reveled in the fact that I have a say of how I want to shape my career. I love the power in having a choice. Being sought after by companies is motivation to continue to build and properly construct, conduct, and carry myself.

Just like my company is well known because of it’s brand by the entire world, I want my brand, my reputation, and my character to positively precede me.

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. –Albert Einstein