As the nation’s economy teeters on the brink of a recession, the job market is reportedly growing tighter and tighter. That is not good news for those who are seeking jobs, which is a group that includes my two sons, Caleb and Jacob.
Caleb, who for over a year had been creating computer macros as an independent contractor, saw his job suddenly conclude a few months ago. Through a series of odd jobs plus his savings, Caleb has been staying afloat financially. Caleb, who has been blessed with a helpful spirit, is praying that his next job is one that will enable him to benefit people.
Later this week Jacob will be graduating from Kansas State University with a degree in architecture. Despite having earned a diploma from a university with a nationally-renown architectural program, Jacob is not assured employment. According to my youngest son, the architectural field frequently feels the impact whenever the economy slows down.
While Jacob did some job interviewing on the west coast, his preference is to remain in the Midwest, where reportedly the starting salary is comparable to that paid beginning architects on the west coast. However, the cost of living here is significantly less than on either coast.
A few weeks ago Jacob was scheduled to interview with a company that he really hoped to catch on with in St. Louis. Although Jacob has gone through interviews numerous times and is quite adept at selling himself, he admitted in an e-mail to me that he was a bit nervous because of how badly he wanted to be a part of that company.
Desiring to allay his concerns, I sat at my keyboard trying to gather my thoughts and come up with something that would benefit my son. As anyone knows who has ever paused in this space of the Courier-Post on a Monday for the past decade-plus, I’m not a particularly profound person. However, as I re-read the advice I’d given my son, I couldn’t help but think I was almost insightful.
In the e-mail I suggested that job interviews are much like first dates. On first dates, in an effort to make as positive of an impression as possible, people will frequently become someone they’re not by the way they dress, talk and behave.
I also proposed that those people, if lucky enough to get subsequent dates with that individual, may find themselves forced to live a lie as they attempt to build some sort of relationship.
My simple advice to Jacob? Be yourself.
No, that didn’t translate into Jacob wearing to the job interview a comfortable, old pair of faded blue jeans that are significantly ventilated at the knees, while sporting three days of facial stubble. In Jacob’s case, it meant being the thoughtful and talented young man which he has become and just allowing his light to shine.
While Jacob did not land the job, from his description of the interview he made an extremely positive impression. The human resources person told Jacob later that the company personnel sitting in on the interview wished they had met him sooner since they had ready made a couple of job offers.
Did my advice help Jacob make his positive impression? I don’t know if he saw my e-mail before driving in from Manhattan, Kan., for the job interview. I firmly believe that Jacob is more than capable of putting his best foot forward without any fatherly insights from his dear, old dad.
Still, I can’t help but believe that my advice was sound. People, whether they are going for a job interview or first date, will be well served if they remember one simple rule: Be yourself.
