Two years ago I graduated from Oxford university with a 2:1 in philosophy, politics and economics. After a year of looking for a job, I was hired by a large and well-known business. At first I was in awe but now I’ve discovered something that surprises and depresses me. Most of my colleagues are neither terribly bright nor terribly hardworking. As this is my first experience of corporate life I’m puzzled and want to know: is it me? Is it them? Am I missing something? If these companies are so hard to get into, how come most of the staff are so mediocre?
Graduate trainee, male, 24
Lucy’s answer
Yes, you are missing something. But it’s something no one can be expected to get at the age of 24; I didn’t get it myself until my mid-40s, and then it was only because someone took me aside and spelt it out.
That someone had just stepped down as chief executive of a huge company that has always recruited Oxbridge graduates just like you. He told me that one of the problems he faced was having far too many super bright people to manage.