How competitive are you?

blazey · 09-06-2009, 06:12

I was looking through the jobs section just now and I noticed Flashy had posted up a link for jobs at the new tesco even though she was applying for it herself, and someone else commented that she'd probably just decreased her own chances of getting the job by doing so.

So I wonder, how many people would do the same and how many of you would keep it to yourself?

I'm a law student as most of you know and it's probably one of the most competitive dog eat dog professions there are. I found a new opportunity for me to go for this morning instead of going to sleep like a normal human being, and I know that I won't be telling any of my law friends about it until after the deadline and until I know if I have got through or not to the next round. I'm not even going to tell you guys what it is!

But I've done a lot of competitive things since being a law student and I must admit that I have always told people about these things after or close to the deadlines, so that they aren't likely to strongly compete against me, and through doing this I have 8 weeks of my summer taken up with highly paid work that will look outstanding on my CV.

I don't feel bad about doing this, because I know that if it wasn't me doing it then it would just be someone else, and at the end of the day, if people want opportunities then they can do what I do and stay up looking for them.

I'll be interested to know what you think about this. I guess I'm showing my true ruthless colours when it comes to my future career, but I guess people would have probably expected that from me anyway!

flashy · 09-06-2009, 06:35

no, i'm not competitive

is there any reason why you made the poll private?

blazey · 09-06-2009, 06:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

no, i'm not competitive

Any particular reason for this?

flashy · 09-06-2009, 06:43

i reckon this should be called 'how selfish are you' not 'how competitive are you', just think about all you've wrote, i wasnt being competitive and i wasnt being selfish, i wasnt advertising the job as such either, i was merely asking about the tesco in Ossy and stating that they where advertising for jobs before it was built....yes i know your not having a go, but lets get the facts straight hey

blazey · 09-06-2009, 06:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

i reckon this should be called 'how selfish are you' not 'how competitive are you', just think about all you've wrote, i wasnt being competitive and i wasnt being selfish, i wasnt advertising the job as such either, i was merely asking about the tesco in Ossy and stating that they where advertising for jobs before it was built....yes i know your not having a go, but lets get the facts straight hey

The fact is that someone else pointed out that you were practically advertising the job to other people. Which you pretty much were whether you intended to do that or not.

It takes a long time to find a job opportunity these days, is it really that 'selfish' to want to succeed?

I believe that competitiveness is indirectly taught at most schools through the setting systems they have in place, which are often even in place discreetly in primary schools, and certainly were in my primary school.

blazey · 09-06-2009, 06:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

no, i'm not competitive

is there any reason why you made the poll private?

The poll was made private because it is set to private by default and I saw no reason to change it. I'm more interested in the general numbers rather than names.

flashy · 09-06-2009, 07:00

they dont even have a lot of competitiveness in primary schools now, its 'not to be encouraged' thats what us governors where told when i was at Reece's school, they dont compete in sports day anymore, they dont have races against each other like they did when i was at school, maybe its another case of political correctness gone mad

blazey · 09-06-2009, 07:09

Yes but children are still given work at their level, and naturally most children want to be better than everyone else, at least amongst the brighter children. So the competition still exists.

I think the idea that depression is a new phenomenon amongst primary children is a joke as well, it has always existed.

Unfortunately you can't get anywhere in this country if you aren't competitive. It'd be nice not to have to be. I wasn't this competitive until I started uni, but then I didn't really appreciate the amount of talent that I'm up against, and you can't afford to be slow with these things.

blazey · 09-06-2009, 07:09

Certainly not when it costs me so much money...

entwisi · 09-06-2009, 07:57

competitive? me?

*Cough*
Absolutely!

but... I would say that I'm equally competative against myself. i.e. I set myself extremely challenging goals and normally achieve them. Its this that IMHO as got me teh job I do etc.

Neil · 09-06-2009, 08:08

I don't blame you Blazey for not telling anyone else. By telling others you reduce your chance and like you said it is hard enough without reducing your chances by telling others.

cashman · 09-06-2009, 08:12

not really i reckon, never have been, when my kids started school i told them- don't care if ya come Top,Bottom, or Middle of the class, just do yer best n yer dads happy,don't seem to have done em any harm as both have done well in life.

nowt against folk that are, people are just people.

jaysay · 09-06-2009, 08:48

I have always tried to do my best in everything I do, whether that's classed as being competitive or not I don't know, but any one who gives their best and are satisfied with their lot, is all that really matters.

Benipete · 09-06-2009, 08:53

I suppose I'm lucky in that I don't have to compete with other people they have to compete with me.

Combine that with my shy and retiring nature and I'm on to a winner every time.

blazey · 09-06-2009, 09:06

Well you always have to compete with yourself no matter what you do, otherwise you might as well lay down and die if you ask me. If people aren't interested in bettering themselves then they are wasting opportunities.

The reason I asked is because the tutors at university are keen to nurture my attitude as it is lacking in a lot of the other law students at Lancaster and as you would expect, employability figures are also low, whilst there is a keen activeness within the Management School at Lancaster, which is one of the best ranked in the country, and they achieve much higher and get the better jobs. As I am heavily involved in the student run careers society at university as secretary and internal publicity officer, I'm meant to to be the one who encourages this behaviour and competitiveness to be the best, but I'm wondering how many people at home have it because amongst my friends from school, I am one of the very few to go to university, and most of my female friends now have children.

There just seems to be a give up and accept what you are offered type of attitude at home and I always sense it when I come home. Fortunately I don't have to spend all summer here otherwise I think I'd have gone mad. I will likely be working with some local children though and it is always interesting to see the differences between them and other children a bit further afield and what sorts of attitudes you get from students from different types of schools and different kinds of backgrounds. It's just even more interesting to see how the local adults feel about competing too!