I’m going to admit to something that a few have been sworn to secrecy upon the pain of possible death … I watch The Bachelor … ok, I hear the gasps, I see the eyes rolling and yet, I know you feel my pain. Allow me to explain. The reason why I watch is scientific. Really! How can you not relate to the women (and the men, during the seasons of The Bachelorette) as we face the job layoffs and job search? It IS like trying to get the attentions of that one special person (hiring manager), and ultimately the proposal (job offer) from the next new employer while still getting over the last rejection (or being fired)!

You must see the parallels. You have to apply, submit an application and video to get picked for the next level (the show). You find yourself competing among 25+ beautiful, talented, motivated, creative and even manipulative candidates (talk about a shock to your self-esteem). You then briefly meet the Prospective Employer (the Bachelor) during that first interview (introduction). So

• you want to make that big entrance (gracefully exit from the limo),
• you want to showcase your talents (say something witty), and
• you try to come up with something that will separate you from the rest (some girls pretend to trip, others bring gifts, others speak in foreign tongues and tell the Bachelor to meet them later for the translation.

During that first elimination round, there’s that big elephant in the room, that “First Impression Rose”. One lucky girl is guaranteed a spot to the next round … oh what I would give for that FIR! Amazing what some of the candidates do, i.e., strip down to their underwear and jump in the pool (wonder if it’s heated?), perform an opera (short yet a bit scary), or even more conniving, bring out the guitar and sing the song you they wrote just for them … all talents and skills I admit I lack.

Ok, so enough about the Bachelor, back to the “real” world and what we do to get in front of the hiring manager and execute getting that first, oh so vital, interview. Although you try to ignore the staggering numbers of the unemployed, the true nightmare begins when you mentally register that for every job opening (those few and far between), there are no less than 10 “qualified” applicants. Add to that those who are over-qualified and those not qualified, who also apply. Like the unemployment percentages (10% publicized, 17% actual), you are now jockeying (good choice of words) for a position with no less than 30+ applicants (and that is putting it mildly!)

So, back to The Bachelor. If I didn’t get that First Impression Rose, or even worse, if I was one of those first 10 to be eliminated, I understand why they end up crying during the post-interview. I relate to their statements (and PLEASE replace he/him with hiring manager hereinafter)

• “he doesn’t know what he is missing or letting go”,
• “he didn’t give me a chance to really show him how right I was for him”,
• “What could I have done differently so that he would have given me the rose (job)”
• “I was the perfect match for him”
• “I’m so disappointed”
• “I just don’t get it why he picked her and not me!?”…

You get the gist (and thus my my job search life such as it is right about now).

Now back to maneuvering the tough job market and connecting with the hiring manager — I recently read a story about a woman who put her resume in her baby daughter’s tiny shoe and sent it to the CEO of the company she wanted to work for. Her cover letter (a note inside the shoe) simply stated,

“I’m a shoe in, when can we meet to discuss my start date?”

Story claims she got the job! Given the difficult and competitive job market, creativity, ingenuity, stamina, resilience and persistence (to list a few) are at the core of to the job search. So like the girls on the Bachelor, I have to believe, and yes I do believe in fairy tales, that if you don’t initially connect, just try, try again, until someone finally gets it right. There is a reason why it was not meant to be… and the right Bachelor (Hiring Mgr) will finally pick You (ME).

For now, it is back to the drawing board.

How creative have you been in order to get that first interview? Did it work?