RE: How to deal with a "Closed" group of writers?

["Oja, W. Kelly" <w -dot- kelly -dot- oja -at- verizon -dot- com>]

I cannot provide too many details on my example, mainly because I do not
want it to come back and bite me in the... well you know where.

Some years ago before I went back to college, I was working in the
manufacturing sector. The company was and still is known worldwide for
what they produce, but it is headquartered in a small town (about 3000)
in the upper Midwest.

Anyway, I got on there and for the most part I was not well received. A
vast majority of the other guys working there were all from that town,
just outside of it inside the county, or in the near vicinity. Me being
not only from outside of the area, I was from out-of-state.

I was viewed by most as someone who took a job away from one of their
buddies, cousins, or someone they didn't like, but was a local. Granted,
there were some who didn't care where I was from.

My point is that, sometimes it does not matter who you are, or how good
your skills are, or what kind of person you are, there are people who
will not accept you and will not let you join in the inner circle.

I am not trying to be negative, just being a realist. I have lived and
worked in eight states as of today. That time at the job I mentioned
above is for the most part the only time I encountered that kind of
behavior. Other places had guys like me who were not a zip-coder.

I know I am rambling a little bit here, but from my experience, forget
about them. Do your thing, be yourself, and if they do not want to be
inclusive with you, it is their problem. If you have to change any one
thing, it might be that you may want to be a tad more extroverted.
Anything beyond that, you are not being true to yourself.

But in the words of Dennis Miller, "...but that is just my opinion. I
could be wrong."

W. Kelly Oja
Verizon Airfone Service for Verizon Wireless
Why wait until you land to take care of business?

 





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