Episode 111: How Much Prestige Matters
The “brand name” is not enough.
We’ve all felt the pull towards brand names we know. Names that we hope will capture people’s attention as we wrestle with our own comfort about our reputation as we make career and other choices.
Today we discuss how we learn - through our families, our communities, and our peers - to value some things more than others, and how to tune in to our relationship with prestige.
A conversational shorthand
Most of us have heard that a brand name or high-prestige company on our resume will help us stand out against a fear-inducing recruiting statistic: “On average, employers look at resumes for six to seven seconds”(Indeed). When a notable name might buy us a few more seconds in front of a potential employer, it’s understandable to use prestige to catch eyes. Recognition may even be one of the top factors we consider as we decide which recruiter calls to return and where to put our energy.
Being mad or critical at ourselves for wanting prestige, for whatever reason we want it, isn't particularly helpful. We challenge each listener to consider telling your story in another way.
Additionally, there are times that we’re drawn to an organization, not because of the prospect of work we might enjoy, but because of the assumptions that come with the title and/or the notoriety of working at a particular company.
Does reliance and focus on what fits into LinkedIn headlines cause us to miss out on an opportunity to do work that matters to us and share it with the world?
To decide what we believe, we may ask ourselves,
“Do I need to believe every thought I have or every belief system I was handed?” and “Don’t I get to kick the tires and decide for myself?”
When we examine the inside job with compassion, we can notice the systems at work and the stories we tell ourselves, and – if we want to do so – make changes.
In Our Conversation Today We’re Exploring:
Why prestige can be both practical and at times oppressive.
How prestige can become a shorthand that robs us of the opportunity to tell our story.
How the stories we tell ourselves about others can play a role in our pursuit of prestige.
What questions we can ask ourselves as we explore our own relationship with prestige.
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