My Dream Job

My Dream Job

Ever since she was little, she used to daydream a lot. Everyone admired her stylish dreams...

In her dreams, she would be dressed very elegantly. Her blonde hair would cascade in waves down to her waist. A loyal and polite servant would be helping her get out of her magnificent luxury car. She would be so beautiful that she would shine brightly. She would leave people in awe of her.

Here is a glimpse of Ayşegül’s childhood dreams...

Who is Ayşegül? She is an excited young worker who looks to the future with hope… Intelligent, proactive, and skilled… A bit overhasty as well… She believes she deserves high positions in her career. And she eagerly wants to reach what she deserves as soon as possible. In doing so, she doesn’t stay idle. She observes those who hold the position she dreams of. She admires their attire, their cars, the way other people interact with them, and their lifestyles.

Ayşegül believes that staying in the same job will dull her skills. Once she feels she has gained the experience she can get from her current company, she seeks out opportunities at a competitor. With the full support of significant acquaintances at that firm, she lands a managerial position.

If Only Dreams Were Real!

And finally, she succeeds! Her dreams come true… Who said it would be so difficult?

Now it’s time to build the manager she has always dreamed of…

The first stop is the shopping mall. She visits the brands she admired in her former managers. To exist in their world, she must resemble them. Even though they are quite expensive brands, investing in herself is crucial, after all…

Next is the beauty salon, where she makes a few small touches to enhance her mature image…

On her first day at work, she gets to drive the company car. “Goodbye to those days of fighting for seats on buses, and spending an hour just going around with the shuttle…”

When it comes to meeting the team, she feels even prouder of herself. Most of the team members at the global industry giant she manages are older than her.

However, the team does not approach her with the same respect and deference they showed to their previous managers. They feel a bit wronged that someone from outside, rather than one of their own, has been appointed as the manager. Who is this flashy, glamorous young woman?

Dreams and Realities…

Before Ayşegül could even enjoy her office and the exclusive coffee machine for managers, problems begin to arise. The back-to-back meetings feel like torture. To make matters worse, the team does not recognize or support her. Despite her external appearance resembling that of the managers from her previous company, she is falling short on substance. Without the necessary experience, perspective, and maturity for the job, even high-end clothes don’t make much of a difference.

• How can employees be turned into a team?
• How can they be motivated and directed towards goals?
• How can problems be resolved?

Ayşegül does not know the answers to these questions. What she considered insignificant turns out to be very important, while what she thought was crucial may not be so. She struggles to find a balance with both her job and her team. Being a bit too sweet makes the team relax, while a harsh approach to establish authority proves ineffective. On top of that, her lack of proficiency in a foreign language adds to the difficulties.

Ayşegül’s dreamlike managerial position starts to feel like a nightmare. Her clothes, her car, and her office no longer bring her joy. “This position is too big for her; she feels lost in it.” She feels like a child wearing her mother’s clothes

She doesn’t know what to do. Going back seems so hard… If she does that, it would mean she’s given up, that she’s failed. She doesn’t want to appear that way, but she can’t stay there either. She can’t withstand the cold winds blowing from the top because she was placed on the summit without having enough strength. 

“Ah!” says Ayşegül. “I wish I had cared more about learning English. I should have worked on developing myself more for management…” 

Her dream was to lead a team and enjoy the perks of that position. But her experiences were nothing like her dreams. The managers she envied were more than just the brands they wore or the salons they frequented. From the outside, everything seemed so easy… In her mind, they were just attending two meetings and signing a couple of documents while the team below was working hard all day long. 

She was like a product with attractive packaging that looks good on the outside but is never chosen again if the inside doesn’t deliver. What ensured continuity was the content, not just hitting the target. The important thing was to prepare fully for the target to ensure permanence. 

Is getting into the best university’s math department due to a lucky mistake on the exam a blessing or not? If one can’t do math, can they even graduate, no matter how prestigious the school is?

In a world where everything finds its rightful place in time, how long could Ayşegül’s adventure in the seat of power last?

 

The whole point is to drop a single speck of white on the black today...

Not to cover everything in white...

Y.H.