A Comedy of Errors and the Job Hunt

Sometimes, even the best laid plans don’t go as planned…

Case in point, a new client of mine whose job search is in full swing. His resume is top-notch, cover letters targeted and linkedin profile updated. He has started being invited for a lot of interviews, which is very exciting (for him and for me!)

Having worked in one place for his entire (lengthy) career, the interview is a stress point, and we have discussed and prepared to face this very important bridge between the opportunity for a job and actually getting a job!

He knows what to do to prepare. Sometimes it just doesn’t go as planned. For example, a recent interview:

The shirt he was planning to wear didn’t fit. Luckily, he had an extra one handy.
His well-thought out portfolio was waiting on the kitchen table. Unfortunately, he forgot it there and only realized it when he reached his interview destination.
His GPS didn’t have the company’s address in its system, so locating the interview spot was a bit tricky.
Sitting down for the interview, his phone rang. Forgetting the cardinal rule about not answering your phone during an interview, he answered it. Who was calling? A very high-profile recruiting firm asking him to schedule an interview!

There are several lessons to be learned from this story, but the most important lesson is the one I haven’t shared with you – this client’s reaction to the whole mess:

I was not angry with myself…Have a giggle with me not at me, all I can see is the funny side of what happened today.

You can’t buy a great attitude like that! Next time, he’ll triple-check that he has his portfolio and he’ll NEVER answer his phone in an interview. All of these are lessons that are easily learned. The ability to see the humor in a comedy of errors isn’t something you can teach. It’s a “soft” skill that will serve him well in his job hunt and as an employee for the lucky employer who hires him!

Further proving this client is a true math guy – he estimates the statistical probablility of all of these things happening at once: 10 trillion to one. So, don’t worry too much that your interview experience will be similar!

Keppie Careers can help you navigate all the ups and downs of your job search: www.keppiecareers.com.

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Testimonials

“…Miriam, founder of Keppie Careers, was one of the original career experts who joined the T.A.P. team, and the advice she gave resonated with me in a way that made me stop panicking and start pushing forward. I knew I needed someone like her on my side. We began working together and she became one of my heroes (heroines?) after talking me through the differences of networking today and my next steps in reaching out to people. I can honestly say she was the catalyst in getting me outside my comfort zone to dive into Twitter, follow up with my contacts on a regular basis, and attend events I never saw myself being able to go to. I have made incredible strides in my personal and professional development because of her advice, positive energy, and motivation and I’m forever indebted to her. If you’ve been dealing with rocks and are in need of a gem, talk to her. I promise you won’t be disappointed..” — Teresa Basich