WANTED: Young skinny fellows not over 18. Must be expert riders willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. Wages: $25 per week. Apply Central Overland Express, Alta Building, Montgomery Street, San Francisco.

In 1859, a young man named William Hickock saw this help-wanted ad and went immediately to the Pony Express office to apply. Mr. Hickock, later to be nicknamed "Wild Bill," would get the job. The point is that the ad perfectly described the requirements of the job. This enabled Hickock to judge that he was perfect for it. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Challenges of a Safety Professional

Safety professionals have one thing in common with riders of the Pony Express: They face deadlines and other pressures. But there the similarity ends. The clarity and simplicity of the job description contained in that Pony Express ad is, alas, something you'll almost never see in the safety profession. On the contrary, safety positions tend to be so complex, interrelated with other operations and changing that they defy description.

You veterans out there, remember when our top job was safety? Then it became safety and health. Later still, it became environmental, safety and health; and then quality was added to the list. Then came ISO 9000; then ISO 14000; and after that, other management standards from around the world.

The bottom line: The safety position you start on Monday is apt to evolve into a completely different job by the time Friday rolls around. And since safety professionals can't rely on that original job description the way Pony Express riders could, Wild Bill Hickocks might end up being hired to do jobs better suited to a General George Custer.

Moving Targets & Career Advice

For many of you, the strong job market might create opportunities like new positions and long overdue promotions. My advice to you is this: Don't immediately jump at what's offered to you. Consider where the position will take you and whether you have the right abilities and qualities to evolve along with it. Otherwise, your dream job might turn into your worst nightmare.

Here's a true story about a safety guy I know. Let's call him Joe. He had been Safety Manager with the same manufacturing company for five years, managing a staff of two. His track record was excellent and he was well regarded by management. The company offered Joe a corporate safety position. The job involved not just a bigger paycheck but management responsibility for over 15 facilities in a five-state region. Joe took the position without blinking. Joe realized that his people management skills were limited. But he figured he'd learn on the fly.

It turned out to be a bad decision. A few weeks into the new job, Joe realized he was in over his head. He faced some difficult personalities, pushy management and a web of complicated OSHA, EPA and state and local regulations. As the troubles mounted, Joe's confidence plunged.

Joe tried to make up for what he recognized were his lack of qualifications for the position by putting in long hours - around 14 hours per day. He was exhausted and on the verge of a breakdown. He managed to make it through two grueling years before resigning.

When he took the job, Joe was on the top of the world - confident in his abilities and capacity to overcome his shortcomings. He walked away a broken man. His self-esteem and professional reputation were in tatters. Looking back, Joe recognizes his mistake. The allure of money and ego led him to take a job for which he wasn't suited.

Conclusion

Don't make the same mistake as Joe. Next week, in Part 2 of this series, I'll give you some advice to help ensure that you don't. Until then, happy Fourth of July.

HISTORIC MOMENTS IN WORKPLACE SAFETY

The Pony Express

Pony Express recruiting poster, 1859

By Glenn Demby

Mark's article makes reference to the Pony Express, the famous mail service that summons up romantic images of reckless young men driving their horses across the desert at breakneck speed, dodging outlaws and hostile Indians along the route. All of these images are, in fact, accurate.

But here's a dazzling statistic: The Pony Express completed 380 runs delivering 34,753 pieces of mail over 616,000 miles of hostile territory. But it experienced only one fatality: a single rider was killed in an Indian attack.

Here are some more neat facts about the Pony Express:

• Riders had to weigh less than 125 pounds
• According to legend, the youngest rider was Bronco Charlie Miller, age 11
• Riders would be changed every 75 to 100 miles
• Horses would be changed every 10 to 15 miles
• Average speed: 10 miles per hour
• The Pony Express had between 150 and 190 stations

The Pony Express lasted less than two years (1859-1861). It was done in by the bickering of its owners, bad business decisions and, most of all, by the advent of the wireless telegraph.

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