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Writer's pictureJennifer

Career Genius: Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein is a name we all know, even if we don't all understand his physics theories (I know I am not fully versed in them!).


He is also a good reminder for how we tackle our job searches.


When he was first looking for a job after his time at university, Einstein applied to every assistant physics professor position on the European continent, but no one wanted to hire him for some reason. He didn't even hear back from many of them (sound familiar? I know we experience that now!).

His dad even got involved, writing on Einstein's behalf (behind his back, as parents tend to do sometimes). That, of course, didn't work either.


So what job did Einstein get and how did he get it? Patent clerk / a friend helped him get the job


What can we learn from this? A few things:


1. You can't spend all of your time sending out job applications; you have to activate your network. Not all jobs are found through postings (and actually, most of them aren't). People are the key.

2. The job you get may not be the one you were aiming for, and that's okay. In fact, that may be a blessing in disguise.


Later in life, Einstein ruminated on the fact that the job as a patent clerk gave him time and mental space to work out some of his best / biggest theories. He was glad he had taken that job.


So don't give up, expand your search, and look for the value in the job you do get, even if it isn't the one you thought you wanted, and you can be a bit like Einstein, too.





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