Low Hanging Tree

In marketing terms, low hanging fruit means achieving targets, tasks or goals which are easy and do not require considerable effort.  These “low hanging fruits” bear considerable results as they add up to your growth. Apply the same logic to job opportunities out there this theory somehow doesn’t stick based on my recent experience. Here is that one scenario that I faced with regards to job opportunities. I call this “The Low Hanging Tree” experience.

“I want to try new opportunities” my inner voice said and I decided to search for new job opportunities. I was good at what I was doing, just wanted to try something new and wanted to learn new things. So I posted my resume on various job sites and voila within few weeks I had various interviews lined up. I gave every possible interview as I wanted to maximize my chances on winning every opportunity or shall I say a “very good deal”.

Some time passed and I was amazed that I had offers from three organizations. I finally felt destiny and the work destination was is in my hands. Let me put forth to you the organizations sizes. For some reason I decided to compare them to trees.

Option A – A Mango Tree (Large and bearing fruits)

Option B – A Coconut Tree (Hard to get fruits but self-sustaining)

Option C – Banana Tree (Bears fruits only once and then is discarded)

Looking at the Option A, it was obvious for me that the organization would be the best bet as it would provide everything like stability (stronger root system – strong org values), fruits of labour (seasonal basis – better appraisals) and the fact that it’s a Mango tree, which in itself is a big brand. Moreover, this tree lives a long life.

Looking at Option B, it still was a better bet as there was hard work involved but very little needed for the tree to sustain itself. A good climate (business pipeline), water (funds) and some great growth material (opportunities) and the tree grow. The Coconut tree too is a brand because it offers itself in entirety and is the most useful tree. This tree too keeps growing taller and lives a longer life.

Looking at Option C, well it was very deceptive in nature to what it offered. It bears fruits once and then is discarded offering minimal use. The Banana tree represents short term goals (bear fruit once) and unsustainability (can’t sustain in a large market) if outwardly weather conditions (business scenarios) change.

Well to my educated and calculated guess I chose Option C and was caught by the deceptiveness.  I had various reasons to choose Option C like 1) it was very lucrative, 2) easy and very low hanging to climb and 3) it was bearing fruits with the least efforts.

The deceptiveness that lay within the outwardly appearance of trees (organizations) taught me a few lessons which I would like to share:

1) Thoroughly check and re-check the tree that you are climbing and research whether it can sustain your weight (needs and aspirations)

2) Look at the long term sustainability score (can the tree weather the storm or let the leaves shed to self-conserve)

3) Be extremely vary of low hanging trees and fruits, they can be extremely deceptive and can cause suffering.