Ask not what the company can give you, but what you can give the company

(John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what America can give you, but what you can give America.”)

Having worked for over 15 years in various organizations, I have come across many types of characters of people, be it colleagues, business associates or clients in the corporate world. In the organizations that I have worked with, I have supervised several team members and have been put in charged to expand and grow a division/branch. As such, I was involved in staff matter which include interviewing and recruitment process for many years.

Many people (especially those in the 20s and 30s) join an organization with the attitude of “getting the most out of it”. I have come across many young adults whom I interviewed which will not fail to ask the question “What can the company offer or give me in monetary terms?” during the interview sessions. Monetary returns seem to be one of the motivating factors amongst these interviewees who are mostly in the 20s and early 30s. However, I agree that it is important to know what an organization can offer you in terms of monetary returns but it is more important that after knowing what the company can offer you, can one live up to the expectations and do beyond the ordinary? This is what employers are looking for. A fair and professional company will ultimately reward and give the benefits to such an employee who have “given their best” and have proven themselves that they are worthy of such monetary returns. If however if you have given your best and yet the organization does not reward you, then you are clearly being exploited. That is a “thin line” to draw. How long should one endure such an “exploitation” before moving on to a better organization?

The bottom line, if you have a giving attitude towards an organization you will be blessed as with the amount you sow, you will reap likewise.

So, hang on there if you have been “giving” but felt that you are being exploited as success is just round the corner. If your current boss/management fails to reward you, others will notice you and as long as you have a giving attitude, you will be “head-hunted” by potential employers.

Contributed by Teresa Sia