Thoughtful Thursday: The Difference Between Schoolwork and Work Work

Yesterday on my way home I was talking to my mom and telling her about this project that one of our interns is using for a school project as well as a work project.

During the convo I made this statement: "I feel that if the project was done for a school project it would be easier to do than as a work project. I told her that projects I had done for work had been similar to ones I had done for school and it was always easier in the school version."

She asked "Why? It's the same project either way, isn't it?"

My response: "Uhhhhh..." Blast. Why was it different?... And then I thought back to my freshamn year of college...

(insert "Twilight Zone" music + screen blur)

So it's orientation before my freshman year of college and I'm working on my schedule. I had a hole to fill and I was required to take a 100 level gym class to graduate from Wolfpack Country so I selected the easiest one I could find that fit in my schedule: Step Aerobics. I based my decision (as ever good new freshman that was an overacheiver would) on the following train of thought:

1. I need an "A" in Step Aerobics.
   
2. If I actually give it my all, I can actually get an "A"


3. "A" is good so we'll do that one.

Then I met with my advisor who told me this: Gym was a class eligible for "credit only" status (meaning you could take it for a grade or as a pass-fail with no grade) and that as long as I got between a 70-100% I would pass with a lovely "S" for "satisfactory"on my transcipt.

Hmm. Interesting...

Because of my awesome lack of athelic skills, I decided "credit only" was the best option but I was still going to try in the class. Well because of this change in events instead of giving the class the 90-100% I had planned, I gave it exactly 74%, got my "S," and was done with 100 level gym classes. Woot.

Why did I tell you this?

In school, you were graded on the quality and effort of your work. If you put in 85% then you get out 85% and that's fine cause that's still a B. In aerobics I gave 74% and passed...and even if it had been a grade it would have been a "C" and let's be honest and truthful: "Cs get degrees."

But what if my job had been aerobics?

I couldn't have gotten away with giving 74%, or hell even my B 85%. At your job you have to step it up and give 95-100% or you'll never move up in your career, if you even get to keep your job. Translation: You have to be an "A" student at your job just to keep it and an A+ student to advance it. Woah...

This moment of enlightment (and the answer to my mom's question) smacked me in the face like a Mack Truck:

"B" student status isn't going to cut it in the real world like it did in school. If you're a "B" employee you're less than average, not better. You have to get the work done, you have less time to do it, and it has to be as close to perfect as possible. I mean we're talking 95-100% range only, 100% of the time. Period.

Now why doesn't your advisor tell you that when you get to school so you can make that a habit form day one of college...