research work as a differentiation strategy

I have been facilitating strategic planning and management class both for the undergraduate and the graduate studies for more than six years now. I enjoy facilitating this class very much. It never fails to transport me, at the very least, to a different plane of awareness.

These past few weeks, my undergraduate class were discussing the classic generic strategies. One of the students asked a highly practical question - how does the study of the generic strategies help in landing a job?

I could have given the usual answer but I sensed that this student was honestly asking. I felt the humility and the openness. So, I gave a little something for the class.

I asked, "Who wants to land their first dream job?"

Some raised their hands. Others simply groaned and gave a sheepish smile. Actually, that was an asinine question. My bad = )

I said, "If you want to land your dream job, you have to offer something that the other applicants do not have?" To that, I received quizzical looks. Everybody, including the IEs in other schools, go through a similar curriculum. Thanks to CHED's technical panel = )

So being different, aside from grades, by simply finishing the program will not cut it.

"I know. All of you go through the same curriculum. And supposedly, the grades you received was to differentiate you. Well, it does but not in a way that's helpful," I joked, they laughed and I continued, "But you can differentiate yourself from the herd through your design courses. And since you are in IE302 already, you still have a few left. But I want you to seriously throw yourself to this possibility - research!"

"You see, doing research work will definitely differentiate one from the herd from the simple fact that we are attracted and curious to highly specific things. Curious about what might appear mundane to others but to our inner selves, highly revolutionary. And on top of that, this is the first step in becoming a highly paid guru. Serious. To me doing research work is simply the process, the apprenticeship one pays in becoming a highly paid guru. If you want to be a guru, do research." = )

I know that the usual rebuttal to this is that doing research is hard and that I want to finish my studies now. That line of thinking, is acceptable. Well, generic. That's why the probability of one having a generic job receiving a generic pay is almost 100% but we should be glad that it is not so because that curve is asymptotic = )

Serious, if you want to land your first dream job, do research. Yes, it will be difficult but it is supposed to be difficult. But because it is difficult, only few will do it. And since only few will do it, the price for doing it will be higher. Simple economics: when supply decreases and demand remains constant, prices goes up.

Trust me. This is the dynamic we all experience why we pay doctors professional fees for each consult. (If only that was true for professors too, I will be a billionaire by now...) Most especially when we talk to specialist like cardiovascular surgeon or a neurosurgeon. Remember the doctor, does not promise we will get healthy for sure. If all doctors promise that, they simply told you a lie. Remember they only swore to do no harm. And since, they swore to do no harm, one gets well = )

But that's not the point why we pay them so much money. We pay them so much money because they burned at least an additional 12 years of studying after college. Only few people will do that. If you simply wanted a job, you will not want to be a doctor = )

Think, doctors start to earn money when they are into their 30s. A time, when a usual college graduate have been working for more than a decade and probably raising a family. But because only few will want to become a doctor, and the fact that medical school is not cheap either, is the reason why we pay them with so much money when they help us. And how could one really put a price on saving lives. How silly of me = )

But serious, this is the same for research work. Only few will do this. And the benefit one gets from doing a research work in job hunting is that your resume will definitely be different because only a few will do it. Why? Because it is difficult. And that is the best part of it = )

Now, if only we can figure out what to research on that may interest your dream employer. Hmmm, I have a answer - why don't we do a research on it = )

"... why think like mere men?"