[Shin Sujeong's Work Ethics] Why Does Someone with Similar Abilities to Me Succeed More?

Someone said, "I met classmates who graduated from the same university and joined companies with similar salaries and benefits at the time, but now there is a big difference."

Blackstone Chairman Steven Schwarzman says this:

"When you are young, choose a job where you can learn a lot and receive intensive training. Especially the first job is very important as it lays the foundation for your career. Do not choose a job just because it looks good to others."

In other words, the earlier in your career, if the company has nothing to teach, is lax, and there are no seniors or leaders to train you, it is risky. In this case, you need to either make your work extraordinary yourself or consider changing jobs. Otherwise, you will waste valuable time.

In particular, Schwarzman emphasized the importance of the first job. The reason is that where your initial company is and what you did there is likely to influence your entire career afterward. People who enter a B2B company usually stay in B2B for life; those who enter B2C usually stay in B2C; those who join a construction company tend to stay in construction; those who join a financial company tend to stay in finance; those who join a media company tend to stay in media; and those who join IT tend to stay in IT for life.

Interestingly, even if you graduate from the same university and join the same large corporate group, your bonus, treatment, and subsequent career differ depending on which company you are assigned to.

Thanks to this, even with similar intelligence and effort, some people earn money with difficulty in a tough business model or declining industry, while others experience good business models and belong to rising companies, earning relatively easily.

This choice is never about ability, so there is no reason to be arrogant. If you are lucky enough to ride an upward escalator, you go up even if you stand still; if you ride a downward escalator, you stay in place no matter how hard you run.

Warren Buffett also said, "No matter how great the jockey is, if the horse is no good, there are limits."

Ultimately, the first job should be chosen based on 1) industries on an upward elevator as much as possible, 2) places where you can start a business with the know-how you have accumulated or quickly take on significant responsibilities thanks to the rise, and 3) places where there are relatively abundant alternatives to utilize your accumulated capabilities.

However, most young people actually choose the place with the best treatment or work-life balance at the current point in time according to their major, rather than whether the industry is on an upward or downward curve. Of course, it is also true that it is not easy to predict which industry will rise or fall at the present time.

Even if you have already made a choice, what is the way to escape the risk of staying in a declining business? The most important thing is not to associate only with your company or employees in the same industry but to interact with people in other fields, especially those in industries on an upward curve. Also, maintain curiosity, consistently keep up with trend-related content, learn new skills yourself, and apply them to your own industry. Through this, you must be able to seize career opportunities when they arise. This advice is not only for young people.

Professor Krumboltz’s five factors that bring luck are ‘curiosity, optimism, persistence, flexibility, and risk-taking.’ Only those with these attitudes can move toward places with luck.

Shin Sujeong, Head of KT Enterprise Division