People want to be wowed and dowed by all the glitz and glamour, but
true innovation seems to present itself with the fundamentals. True
genius seems to present itself in simplicity.
I'm not a genius but I like to think that I work hard and strive to
find the motivation to do so. I also think, that occasionally I find
things that might be worthwhile to others. Enough so that maybe I'll get
a paycheck. Thereby comes this unique experience. I applied for a job at
a manufacturing company once and they called me back for an interview.
Coincidentally I had to make a trip to California to see a relative so I
told the employer that I couldn't schedule the interview for a couple of
days because I had to go to California. I didn't tell them why. When I
went to the interview I was already hired. The question and answer period
was just a formality. They had already made up their minds to hire me.
Thinking back, it occurred to me, that they thought they were getting a
good deal in that I was a programmer, I was called away to California, the
center of the World at that time for computing, so they had better make a
decision to hire me.
Job interviews since and prior, where I told the employer I was just a
working class fellow, I never get hired. I have to figure out some sort
of hype to get the interview, and if they haven't already made up their
minds by the time I get there, the job interview is not going to help.
Everybody wants a good deal, and personnel managers are no different.
Sure they act like they've done all the research, but the reality is they
are swayed by all the hype. That's probably obvious, but just about every
interview I've been on the personnel managers primary goal is to determine
if I can work with others, and they assume others want someone who is fun
and looks nice. Plus if you've done your job right you've given them
enough information to go around the room and get everybody's
permission ahead of time.
Here's a tip that will help. Put the employer on hold
when they call you to schedule the job interview. Get back to them
quickly with a casual comment about solving some problem like; 'sorry
about that, but they were holding up the team until I gave them the
password. Your name was Mz. Donaldson?'
