Job Interviews
Out of context: Reply #1
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My Worst Job Interview Ever
APRIL 17, 2010Scene: It’s 1995, and I’m a senior at Wharton. I’m interviewing at a boutique management consulting firm. It’s a second round interview, for which I have been invited—along with maybe 12 or so others—to a suite at Philadelphia’s Four Seasons hotel.
We sit and mingle at the suite, nibbling off the impressive spread of shrimp cocktail and other hor d’oeuvres, chatting as we wait to be called for our interviews.
Someone from the company is in the waiting chamber with us, selling us on the company. He’s an arrogant SOB, and I call him out on it. No, wait: I’m an arrogant SOB; I don’t know what he is. Our conversation goes like this:
Him: “I’m working with a Fortune 500 pet food distributor. Their big thing this year is international expansion, and I created their international expansion strategy. The CEO presented my strategy to the Board, who approved it. Now I’ve been promoted to Senior Manager to run the project of managing their expansion. That’s what’s great about this consulting firm: they put me on the MBA track even though I don’t have my MBA because of the merits of my work. So in addition to creating my client’s strategy, I’ll have a team executing it for me, too.”
Me: “Hey, I’ve got a question.”
Him: “Yes?”
Me: “Seems to me the CEO is implementing your strategy.”
Him: “He is. He presented my plans without changing a word.” Chuckle, chuckle.
Me: “Why hasn’t this company fired him yet?”
Him: “Excuse me?”
Me: “Why haven’t they hired you to replace him yet?”
Him: “What?” Fidget, fidget.
Me: “You’re 26 years old with no MBA and no industry experience, yet the CEO, the Board, and all the other executives with years of industry experience are lining up to follow your lead. It doesn’t make sense, unless you’re a total whiz kid.”
Him: “I guess I am!” Chuckle, chuckle.
Me: “Well if that’s the case, why hasn’t the client hired you yet? Why hasn’t the Board made you CEO yet?” Stare, stare.
I popped a shrimp in my mouth. I don’t even like shrimp, but I felt I’d probably said enough.
Why did I say that?
Simple: I am genetically programmed to crash The Game when I see it being played. I don’t think anyone, at any level, should ever feel like they need the services of blowhards like Mr.-The-CEO-rubber-stamps-whatev...
Because they don’t.
And looking back after 15 years of training, coaching, writing, and speaking, nothing in my outlook has changed: my modis operandi continues to be to help people take the smart professional risks that put them in control their own destinies.
I took a risk that day. I spoke the truth. The risk cost me a job, but earned me a career.
That’s the power of failing spectacularly.