The U.S. job market is tough. Poor economic conditions, downsizing, hurricanes and the exportation of jobs overseas are making it nearly impossible for talented, motivated workers to find quality jobs. A recent college graduate who has been unsuccessful in her job search posted a plea for assistance on one of the many discussion forums on the web. “What can I do to differentiate myself from the other applicants?” she asked. As I reflect on the candidates whom I have interviewed over the years, two stand out above all others.
In the late 90’s, the technology training industry was still booming, and I needed another full-time instructor. I placed an ad in several local papers, and I received dozens of resumes. One of the most intriguing candidates, a woman who worked for a competitor, lived nearly two hours away but expressed a willingness to relocate. After an impressive phone interview, I arranged to meet her at a restaurant for a face-to-face interview.
The dinner interview was scheduled for 5:30pm, so I arrived at the restaurant ten minutes early. At 5:45pm, the candidate arrived. Late. Strike one. She apologized for being late and explained that she had to pick up her baby from the babysitter. “No problem,” I said. “Good”, she replied. “I’m just going to run out to the car and bring her in.” She flew out the door, returning a few moments later carrying her young baby in a carrier.
The hostess seated us, and the candidate set the baby carrier on the table next to us. As the baby slept, we chatted cordially and surveyed the menus. Initially, I was impressed with her demeanor and communication skills, and when the waitress asked for our orders, I deferred to the candidate. She proceeded to order an appetizer, a meal — and a half-yard of beer! I chuckled as she said it, thinking she would turn and say, “Just kidding. Give me a lemonade.” Nope. Strike two.
I proceeded to interview the candidate, who answered my questions with ease as she sipped her half-yard. Unfortunately, after the meals arrived, the baby began to whimper and fuss. As quickly as she had whisked the baby into the restaurant, the candidate whisked her out of the carrier. She then opened her suit jacket and began to breastfeed the infant. Waiters dropped entire trays of food as they caught sight of this woman with no blanket and no privacy, breastfeeding her infant while drinking her half-yard of beer and interviewing for a new job. Strike three. You’re out.
Amazingly, another candidate stands out in my mind even more vividly. I was hiring a new graphic artist, and I had received a resume from a young man who worked behind the bar at a nearby restaurant. He always seemed amiable, and I heard from several people in town that he was talented. So, I scheduled an interview in my office.
When the young man appeared for the interview, he was dressed in nice clothing, but everything was sloppy. The shirt was only partially tucked, the tie was loosened, and his shoes were dirty and scuffed. None of these issues were deal breakers, but they were worthy of noting. Duly noted. I sat down at my desk and offered him a seat across from me. He proceeded to sit down, slouching down in the chair as if he were about to nap. Not impressive. Strike one.
I asked to see his portfolio, which included samples of his original artwork. He displayed some impressive projects, and he was clearly an artist with potential. Unlike my breastfeeding candidate, he was not conversational. I had to work to get his thoughts on life, work and the position at hand, so I presented him with some open-ended questions. “What do you like the most about your current job?” I asked. He offered a bland, automated response. I said, “Well, what do you like least?”
The young man’s eyes got big, and he sat upright in the chair. “I’ll tell you what I don’t like,” he said passionately. “I’m supposed to get the bar setup by 11:30, right? So, the entire time I’m trying to work, people keep calling on the phone, asking what the lunch special is for the day. It drives me crazy. Sometimes I just leave the phone off the hook so that I can get my job done.” Ummm. Strike two. But at least he was sitting upright now.
I asked him one more question. “If I were to ask your friends to compare you to an animal, what animal would they tell me most represents your personality?” He slouched back down into the chair. Obviously, this was his optimal thinking position. He scratched his head, rubbed his chin, and squinted his eyes. A few minutes passed before he sat back up, pointed at me and said, “A sloth.” I pondered this answer for a moment. “A sloth?” I questioned. “Yep. Overall, I’m pretty lazy. Given my choice, I’d prefer to sleep all day. So, yes, they would say I’m most like a sloth.” Strike three. You’re out.
My husband is a software and web developer, so he spends the bulk of his daily life at a computer, writing code. As we were traveling in the car yesterday, he made the comment that the ability to copy and paste (or cut and paste) is the most valuable feature ever invented for the computer. I reflected on his comment and agreed. But then I closed my eyes and dreamed about how wonderful it would be to have this capability in real life.
