THE ADVANTAGED LATE BLOOMER…

Q.) Are there any advantages to being a Late Bloomer?
A.) Yes. But they are limited. (sorry)

Throughout the past week or so I have taken the time to go through the major issues regarding Late Bloomers. If you qualify yourself as a Late Bloomer, then you may be a bit depressed after reading the previous articles. Fret not my fellow LBer. There are some positives about being a Late Bloomer. And there are some exercises which can be employed to help escape the stigma of being a Late Bloomer. (These will be discussed at a later date.)

So, though there are only a few advantages to being a Late Bloomer, I believe them to be significant. CAUTION: I am going to make broad generalizations in this article. They are not accurate in every case. But I believe in most instances they are accurate. For one thing, even as a child the Late Bloomer possessed the social skills to get along with people and make friends fairly easily. And for another, he knows a little about a lot of things, giving him an appealing person to talk to. I will discuss both of these in this article.

Let me begin with his social skills. The Late Bloomer was typically not perceived as quirky or strange. He was, as we so indecently say, “a normal kid”. He may have even been popular and very well known, even liked by most of the kids who met him. Social skills were not a problem.

Now advance into the Late Bloomers’ 20s, 30s, and 40s. He has not lost his ability to meet new acquaintances or make new friends. He has developed into a very likable person. He, if he works at it, can use these social skills to convince a potential employer to consider him a strong candidate for employment. He must continue to develop his social skills even further to be an endearing person. Why? because his résumé won’t stack up against that of the early bloomers’. It will usually pale in comparison. If an employer is looking at two résumés, one from the Late Bloomer and one from the early bloomer, he will no doubt look more favorably upon the early bloomers’. This is not the arena for the Late Bloomer to take his stand when up against an early bloomer. He will, however, be equal to an early bloomer at socialization. When I am in a conversation about whatever, that person should not be able to tell I am a Late Bloomer simply because I don’t come across as ignorant. Nor do I come across as arrogant (at least I hope not on both accounts). As a matter of fact, the person should be able to pick up on how versatile I seem at many things. This is the appeal of the Late Bloomer which I will discuss next.

DISCLAIMER: please do not misunderstand me. I am absolutely not implying that early bloomers are all arrogant. I know some who are and some who are not. The same holds true for Late Bloomers. I am simply saying that I, personally, should not come across as arrogant.

The appeal of the Late Bloomer is to shine in general conversation. He may not be a master of any particular trade, but he knows a little bit about a lot of things. Remember, he has begun many tasks, hit many “walls”, and quit many things. (Refer to the article posted on 7/15/05.) Because of this, he has at least a basic understanding of nearly everything he has attempted to do. He is relatable. If a Late Bloomer talks to people about his interests, the things he has learned, done, or understands, in casual conversation, eventually someone will either say, “Hey, I was looking for someone who knew how to do that.”, or perhaps, “You know, I have a friend who was asking if I know anyone with those skills. Can I give him your number?”

I know what you are thinking. “That is such a rare occurrence. It will not happen often in real life.” I offer up a hearty “No it is not”! First of all, it is what happened to me. I am in the job I have now just because someone knew someone who was looking to hire a good employee who had “such-and-such” skills. I had no formal training, no actual work experience, and a resume that represented 20 years as a chef, not technology. Second of all, there is a term for this: it’s called “networking”. It’s not a new concept. It’s just that most Late Bloomers have never done it. But this is the arena in which the Late Bloomer stands a chance. Here, in this arena, he can prove his value, skills, and semi-newfound strength of character and ambition.

No, the positives are not plentiful; although I am sure there are more than just the two I mentioned. But utilize the social skills that have been an asset in the past to make friends and acquaintances, and talk about the things you have learned through your work experiences, somewhat limited education, and hobbies, and you will eventually find people who are at least, interested, or at most, in need of, the skills and knowledge you have acquired.

One more thing before I let you go. Keep your own ear open as you talk to people. You may be able to help them out. Just think: the person to whom you are speaking could also be a Late Bloomer. That person may also be in the same boat as you. Far be it from any of us Late Bloomers to not help one another get a leg up.