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Cushman & Wakefield Interested in a Sales Associate position at Cushman & Wakefield. I have experience as a government analyst for 7 years but nothing related to commercial real estate. I want to become a more competitive applicant but not sure where to start. Are there any certificates, skills, or knowledge that I should be learning in my free time?
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In government, promotions are often about endurance, not excellence. You can outperform everyone in the room and still get passed over if someone’s been around longer. Play the game, or you’ll stay stuck.
You've been at the agency for 7 years. How would you react if some hotshot superstar with 4 years of experience leap-frogged over you for a promotion you were expecting? Of course, in a perfect world the best and brightest would be rewarded with advancement. It is not a perfect world. Everyone thinks they are a great employee because they do their job and even win awards and recognition. In my opinion, seniority is often under-valued in promotions. Solid employees may get stuck in a rut because they are overlooked in favor of the flashier, louder, more attractive fresh new face of the future. If it seems like those with more experience are getting the promotions, good. Stick to the task and someday you will one of those more experienced employees.
A lot of that depends on the culture of the agency you're working for. Some government offices really emphasize seniority, and that becomes a tradition over time. People tend to expect it to work that way. If that's the way things operate in your agency, I would imagine it's difficult to circumvent it. It sounds like you've done things to stand out already, and that may be all you can do.