July 14, 2009

You Gotta "Stick Out" - Kate White



Meet Kate White, editor-in-chief of the largest women's magazine in the U.S.  (Cosmo.)

At first glance, White doesn't stand out.
She looks plain jane, sounds monotonic and has that "definitely wouldn't stop and stare at you in a crowd" vibe about her.
However, hear a lecture she gave at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, and you might be surprised.
Whenever a crossroads in her career arose, an opportunity to climb the ladder of success, she knew what she had to do – "Stick out." 
It's how she got her first big break.

After graduating college, White entered an essay contest to become editor of an up-and-coming fashion magazine (no small opportunity for an inexperienced post-undergrad).
White realized miniskirt-clad blondies across the U.S. would be scribing why they'd be the best picks as the new guiding hand of the company.
So she opted for an angle that would become her mantra for any career fork-in-the-road to follow – "Stick out."

White entitled her essay "Why you should not pick me for this position." (Though really, it was a genius reverse take on why she was actually the best pick for the job.) This stance separated her from the masses. It hoisted her to the top of the heap. And it landed her a sweet occupational gig.

With this lesson in her holster, White bagged many a coveted job that came across her sights. In time, she rose to a celebrity-like position she could've only dreamed about in her younger years.

(See April 16, 2009.)

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