Should you still aim high for a job you are not qualified for?

Not many people end up with a career in the field they went to college for. But how do you make the leap into a job you want, but may not be qualified for?

You will have an advantage if you know someone. Most companies are willing to hire someone who has the right attitude and personality, but someone on the inside has to know you. 

Another approach is to write a letter that tells people why they should hire you. This is your shot to convince people who you are. 

Every resume looks the same. What sets you apart is who you are. 

Always ask for what you want. More often than you think, people will say yes. Having the tenacity to aim high will impress some people. 

Don't underestimate what you can achieve.

If you want to get into a specific company, get to know people. Work the channels until you meet the right people. Building relationships and meeting people is the key to getting into organizations today. If people don't know you they can't help you. The more people you meet, you are one connection closer to meeting the right person you need to get in front of. 

This episode was recorded live in London, England. The audience asked me questions and I answered. 

Here are the questions found on the episode:

What was the most successful initiative I launched in my career?

Implementing the Disney Great Leader Strategies. 

How do you create a company culture?

Culture is behavior. Sometimes to change a culture you have to change the people who don't behave the way you want. 

How do you encourage personality when you are strict when you hire?

At Disney, you may run into cast members with different personalities, but they will all be nice. We hire for the basics; honesty, integrity, and personality will still shine. 

How do you create work-life balance?

I worked out, got sleep, and dealt with problems directly. Stress comes from feeling out of control. I dealt with things promptly so it would not feel out of control. 

What is your view of financial bonuses?

Disney Cast Members do a great job because of how they are treated. The biggest benefit is the opportunity to have a bigger role, not a financial bonus. 

How do you retain talent when there is a low opportunity for promotions?

You may not be able to. 

How would I describe my legacy?

I want people to remember me as a teacher. 

What advice do you have to create a training program in an organization?

To start, figure out why you want to do it. Helping people to become successful will be one of the best things you can accomplish. What you teach your employees they will teach your employees. 

A title does not make you a leader. 

A title may make you a manager, but not a leader. 

In fact, the bigger your title, the less you need to think of yourself and more about the people who count on you. 

It's not about me. It's about them. 

When I ran Disney World, it was my priority to create an environment where people wanted to come to work every morning. If I created a place where everyone mattered and they knew they mattered, people would look forward to coming to work, they would take care of the guest. 

It was not about me, it was about the cast members. I was there to serve the cast member so they could serve the guest. 

As leaders, we were there to serve the cast member. Not tell them what to do. Our actions made cast members feel respected and included and part of something magical. 

One of the most important things a leader can do is clear the way so people can do their job without obstacles. 

If you want to be a servant leader, here are two questions to ask your employees every day;

What do you need?

What can I do for you?

If you act as a servant leader, you will be a role model for the people around you. What you teach your employees, they teach their employees. 

Losing money in your business is not an easy thing to deal with. 

When we opened Disneyland Paris, we were losing $1 million each day. Talk about pressure. 

One reason many businesses lose money is debt. Be careful how much debt you take on for your business. You may have enough sales right now, but if something happens, the debt can keep you from meeting your obligations. 

When your business is losing money, you have to walk carefully when it comes to customer service. Don't cut away from what draws customers to you and you will find the problem gets worse when customers stop coming. 

Here are the 3 steps I would take to turn around a business losing money. 

Find out what is wrong. Is it debt? Is it the product?  Is poor service keeping people away? You have to look at everything. 

Look at Productivity problems. Is the way you are doing business causing you to lose money? Where can you improve your processes? Where can you cut spending without taking away from the customer?

Do you have the right management? Often, problems are created or solved by management. If you don't have the right people in place you, will never turn the problem around. Take a hard look and make sure you have the right people in the right places.