| Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines... | | | | perfect opportunity to blow right by you. Remember |
| Last weekend marked the end of the 53rd start in | | | | this fact, the pace car never wins the race! |
| the long and illustrious history of the Indy 500, the | | | | Lesson 2: Be hungry right from the get go! |
| greatest car race on earth. Row upon row of man's | | | | There are only so many laps in a race, so treat each |
| most powerful machines rev up their engines, as the | | | | one like it's your last. Every lap that you're not |
| sound of a thousand restless horses roars under the | | | | winning is just another missed opportunity to distance |
| hood. The flag is dropped, the engines boom and the | | | | yourself from the rest of the pack. History never |
| 200 lap conquest to become the best in the world | | | | remembers the guy who came in second, so be |
| begins. | | | | aggressive and go for it every time. A company may |
| The Indy 500 provides a great metaphor for the | | | | interview hundreds of people for a position and will |
| tireless hunt to find employment in today's tough | | | | ultimately only remember one. Don't miss a beat and |
| economy. It may seem trivial to portray the race of | | | | do whatever it takes to separate yourself from your |
| life in a 2.5 mile racing oval but the bottom line is this... | | | | competitors before you run out of track. |
| In the 'Brick Yard', as in life, only the strongest and | | | | Lesson 3: Never give up! |
| most persistent competitors survive while the losers | | | | Until you see that checkered flag, there's always |
| are the ones who are left behind in the dust. | | | | another lap, and when it's all said and done there's |
| In today's economic climate, this is precisely the kind | | | | always another race. Sending out resumes can be a |
| scenario we are forced to endure when it comes to | | | | daunting and uninspiring process, but remember; |
| finding employment. Therefore, the lessons we learn | | | | people rarely get interviews on their first application, |
| from watching 33 world class competitors duke it out | | | | and even fewer people get hired from their first |
| on the track can play an important role in our day to | | | | interview. Practice makes perfect so think of every |
| day struggles as individuals competing in a highly | | | | email, phone call and interview as just another warm |
| competitive market. These are a few lessons from | | | | up lap on your way to the top. Keep in mind, every |
| the track to employ in your quest to find work in | | | | great champion has lost countless races on their path |
| today's economy! | | | | to greatness. Be persistent and eventually you'll be a |
| Lesson 1: Winners are never passive | | | | veteran, nothing will stand in your way. |
| If you don't stay hungry you won't win the prize. Be | | | | To all of you unemployed warriors grinding it out in |
| tenacious and aggressive at every opportunity. That | | | | these tough times, remember the 'tricks of the |
| means sending out follow up emails and cold calling | | | | track'. Be aggressive, hit the line running and never |
| companies every day. In the Indy there are 33 | | | | back down. If you follow these simple rules, then I |
| competitors, all of whom are chomping at the bit for | | | | have no doubt that eventually you'll find yourself on |
| an opportunity to pass you. If you hold back and | | | | top of the podium popping champagne bottles like |
| simply tow the line, you'll never be noticed, and | | | | Dario Franchitti! |
| worse, you'll give one of your competitors the | | | | |