Not a perfect world
I certainly understand this frustration. We get similar complaints about both equine employers and horse job seekers who misrepresent themselves. The plain truth is that horse industry businesses, like all businesses, are run by people, and people are far from perfect. It is quite natural to hope for an employer who is well organized, good with personnel, and who always sees the truth the way you do. However, the reality is that this kind of employer is essentially non-existent. Most employers have strengths and weaknesses, hopes and dreams, troubles and fears just the way you do. Many have been “burned” by previous workers and are letting their bad experiences color their attitude and approach to personnel. This can make navigating in the job market frustrating and even damaging to your equine career.
There are two basic ways to handle the REAL job market. (1) Set your quality standards for employers impossibly high and then be frustrated and angry when you can’t find an employer who meets your expectations. OR, (2) Expect all employers to be imperfect, and be ready to handle or compensate for the problems you encounter as best you can. As a horse industry professional, you should consider it your responsibility to provide more than the skills and experience needed to do your job. To be successful, you will need to be ready to build effective relationships with imperfect employers. Yes, it takes two to build a relationship and success is not always possible. Sometimes you just have to shake the dust off your feet and move on. However, if you expect the relationship with your employer to go smoothly without some serious attention from you, you are likely to experience repeated frustration.
Being a horse industry professional who knows how to build effective and productive relationships with imperfect employers is not easy. It takes a kind of mental and emotional fitness that many job seekers seem to lack. It requires strong self esteem, the ability to think on your feet, a readiness to compromise, a talent for creative solutions, and the patience to work through problems a step at a time. Give up the notion that you will somehow find that perfect employer and be ready to build a professional relationship with real employers which produces the best results for everyone. The worst that can happen is that you may be pleasantly surprised when you run across one of those rare employers who is ready to build a balanced and effective professional relationship with you.
