Richman: Teachable moments, part 1: It’s all about substance
Richman: Teachable moments, part 1: It’s all about substance
Thank you, readers, for sending in your teachable moments from the workplace. The following is a composite of several I’ve recently received that merit your consideration.
The applicant, John (not his real name), arrived right on schedule. He was young, as I expected a new graduate would be. He was also well-groomed, well-spoken and well-mannered. We briefly exchanged observations on the weather and moved quickly to the interview. My initial questions to him were basic and easy to answer, the kind any job applicant might expect: What prompted you to choose your major? Why are you interested in working for us? Why do you believe you’re qualified for the job?
Young John responded by informing me that he had been on several interviews with prominent companies and had been networking with highly placed executives that friends of his rather well-placed family had arranged. Indeed, he appeared socially comfortable and confident, and his style was well-practiced.
I took it up a notch. My next questions were technical and focused on his understanding of process and application.
I’ll not take time or space to describe the questions or their difficulty. I assure you they were fair and appropriate to the applicant’s level of education and experience. I have interviewed hundreds of young professionals over the years and pride myself on my ability to separate those who have potential from those who self-promote. Regrettably, John consistently emphasized the latter at the expense of the former. His primary gift appeared to be obfuscation.
Whatever I asked, he reframed and responded to what I did not ask. He spoke in meaningless concentric circles. He exhausted me with the emptiness of his rhetoric. When he had exceeded my patience, I politely but firmly concluded our meeting. After John left, I called the registrar of the university he listed on his résumé as his alma mater and confirmed what I suspected: He had never attended.
Later that day a courier delivered a letter signed by the young man’s father, chastising me for having treated his son “with disrespect.” He demanded that I apologize and offer John a position at our firm. Within the hour my employer asked that I meet with him. He showed me the letter he had received from John’s father and played a voicemail left by John’s mother. Their combined messages demanded that I be terminated for what they described as my dismissive conduct toward their son.
After several moments’ silence, my boss stood, erased the message, and with a flourish tore the letter into fours and dropped the pieces into the trash. He shook my hand and thanked me for my loyal years of service and encouraged me to continue as I had — securing the right talent for the right jobs and maintaining our company and product integrity for the safety and well-being of our customers. He reminded me of what we should all be aware. Preparation and accountability are indispensable to the interview process. Accepting rejection responsibly is part of the process. It may not feel good, and it is never easy, but it’s an essential part of learning that enables each of us to stretch and grow, personally and professionally.
Next week we’ll examine the many learning opportunities this tale provides.
Joyce Richman is a speaker and career coach conducting seminars and workshops throughout the United States, and the author of “Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success.” You can reach her at 288-1799 or JERichman@aol.com. Watch Richman’s latest career advice Wednesdays at 6:35 a.m. during “The Good Morning Show” on WFMY News 2.
