Needle, Meet Haystack

In case you guys are not aware, Chuck Klosterman is one of the greatest pop culture writers of all time.  If I could siphon off a bit of his genius every time I wanted to do an extended metaphor, I would be so happy.  And by bit I mean sliver.  Like a tenth of a microgram (I’m too lazy to look up the proper measurement).  In case you haven’t read any of his books, buy them now.

Now that the literary gushing is over, let’s digress to the topic at hand: method actors and groupthink.

During a very strange interview with actor Val Kilmer of Batman Forever and Top Gun fame, Klosterman asked him about his experience in the movie Tombstone, which led to this exchange:

I ask him about the “toll” that he felt while making the 1993 western Tombstone. He starts talking about things that happened to Doc Holliday. I say, “No, no, you must have misunderstood me. I want to know about the toll it took on you.” He says, “I know, I’m talking about those feelings.” And this is the conversation that follows:

Me: You mean you think you literally had the same experience as Doc Holliday?

Kilmer: Oh, sure. It’s not like I believed that I shot somebody, but I absolutely know what it feels like to pull the trigger and take someone’s life.

You understand how it feels to shoot someone as much as a person who has actually committed a murder?

I understand it more. It’s an actor’s job. A guy who’s lived through the horror of Vietnam has not spent his life preparing his mind for it. He’s some punk. Most guys were borderline criminal or poor, and that’s why they got sent to Vietnam. It was all the poor, wretched kids who got beat up by their dads, guys who didn’t get on the football team, couldn’t finagle a scholarship. They didn’t have the emotional equipment to handle that experience. But this is what an actor trains to do. I can more effectively represent that kid in Vietnam than a guy who was there.

Although this assertion seems a bit (okay, very) strange, it’s possible that Kilmer is on to something.

In his book, The Wisdom of Crowds, author James Surowiecki offers the theory that groups can be more knowledgeable and accurate than experts.  So if Val Kilmer changes his example from talking about himself to talking about groups, it might be accurate.

When we work in groups, it can be a frequent source of aggravation and stress.  But given that groups pull from a variety of competencies, experiences, knowledge bases and skill sets, there’s much more to be gleaned from working with others towards a common goal then against them.  While some may feel that they best fit a particular niche in the group, collaboration with others can (and often does) produce better results.

Employers are often looking for team players, people who will fit into established groups and who will hopefully step up to lead them, if need be.  Even work-at-home positions require group collaboration.  And since the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, it stands to reason that your group may know better than you.

Collaboration isn’t a four-letter word, but it is difficult to accomplish when egos, pride and presumptions get in the way.  By working with your team and acknowledging their separate and combined power, you will be able to achieve better results than if you try to fly solo.  Or explain method acting.

I feel old.

Physically, I’m young.  But when I realize that the shows I loved as a kid are “retro” today, and that some of them haven’t been on the air for the past 15 years (except in syndication), I get the nagging urge to buy some ribbon candy and listen to old records on my gramophone.

It doesn’t help that one of the touchstones of the Saturday morning TV block (which doesn’t exist anymore, another sign of age) has been stirring up a lukewarm bit of controversy.  Or more precisely, Screech from Saved By The Bell is trying to ruin my childhood.

Dustin Diamond doesn’t have it out for me personally.  But when he decided to ditch out on the cast reunion, I had to wonder what’s changed for him.

In this 2002 interview, Diamond seemed to have made peace with his child star past.  But his attitudes in recent years have soured.  When he came to perform at my university in 2007, he became upset and enraged when people would shout out his character’s name or mention the show.  Then again, he’s gone on to follow the former child star path pretty well over the past few years (reality TV, adult film, tell-all book).

Whatever you may feel about his post-SBTB pursuits, Diamond’s actions are an exaggeration of a more common affliction found in those with a fear of being pigeonholed in a certain role, destined to only be remembered for one thing.  And while it’s important to have marketable skills, especially some sort of specialized ones, it’s vital that you not let yourself become defined by those skills.

Rather, you need to continue to cultivate and evolve your professional image and, if possible, continue on the successful path that you’ve started.  Your past experiences have helped shape who you are, but if you let them control you, for good or bad, you will never be able to move on to greater acclaim and success.

If you read Diamond’s old interview, it seemed that he was content with becoming well-known in the chess world and was happy to have the chance to establish himself musically.  Instead, he has chosen to regress to what made him popular in the worst way possible.  When dealing with your professional image and personal brand, you should only use your past as a springboard to the future, not a crutch to hamper your development.

If you want to see a positive example of reconciling your past with your current life and projects, take a look at what another Bayside alum did.

Today, I was going through the newspaper when I noticed an advertisement for an upcoming performance by the touring group of Grease.  Besides being shocked that Grease still has a touring group, I was also somewhat astonished to see Taylor Hicks, a former American Idol winner receive top billing.  Not as one of the leads or one of the secondary characters, but as Teen Angel, who Wikipedia notes is a “one-scene character.”  Instead of having hits on the Billboard Hot 100, he’s travelling the country to sing “Beauty School Drop-Out.”

But Taylor Hicks isn’t alone in this phenomenon.  Past winners Ruben Studdard and Fantasia Barrino have also been pushed back into the hall closet in the house of Idol history.  And their stories can give us one vital lesson that should be remembered at all times:

Success is something that must be maintained.

Whether you’re determining how to market yourself to potential employers, starting out at a new job, or coming off the high of a new promotion, make sure that you have a quantifiable list of consistent achievements.  Whereas former Idol contestants might fall off the pop charts, you might fall of the path of an upwards career trajectory.  In a workplace environment, you should always make sure that your successes and achievements are not only measured, but are noticed.

If you are looking for work, you might have to find alternate ways to show success – through starting your own business, volunteering, blogging or refining your portfolio.  If you can show that you are continuously developing your skills and are not resting on your past laurels despite your employment situation, you will become a more attractive candidate to employers.

And hopefully you’ll avoid being buried on page seven of the “Arts and Leisure” section.

If you’re on Brazen Careerist (which you should be) and read this post and scanned the comments section, you may have seen my comment where I mentioned something I call “Guru Fatigue.”  So now I’m going to give you a little more detail about what that is and how you can combat it.

Guru Fatigue is not what happens when you’ve sat through repeated showings of Ghandi (which is quite good, by the way) or Mike Meyers’ The Love Guru (which is quite horrible, by the way), but is instead what happens when you exhaust yourself on the teachings of a particular person.

A guru can be anyone with an opinion you value.  Many modern gurus that my friends and I have learned from in the past include Neil Strauss, Tim Ferriss, Robert Greene, Penelope Trunk, Guy Kawasaki, Warren Buffett, George Parker, Anthony Bourdain and many others (even Tucker Max – sigh).  But the problem is that no matter who is talking, what they’re talking about, how much you enjoy what they have to say, or even why you’re reading – you will get bored.

It’s an unfortunate inevitability of life – people can only take so much of something before they’ve had enough.  And there will come a point where you want to get some distance from your guru.  And even if you take some time away, it won’t be the same when you come back.  Yes, breaking up with your guru is a lot like breaking up with your significant other.

So how do you keep things fresh, ensuing a long and happy guru-student relationship?  With three things: communication, diversity, and breaks.

Most gurus have some way for people to contact them, via Twitter, email, message boards, responding to blog posts and so on.  Using these open channels of communication, you can create an open stream of contact with your guru, learning more from them than if you just read/watched/listened to their lessons.

Also, you should see other gurus.  Diversity in the lessons you learn, and your teachers, will make you more informed and will give you a better grasp on the subject.  Reading multiple job blogs, for example, will offer you different tips and insight into the employment process and how to get the job.

Also, you should take occasional breaks from your guru.  As much as you might like to check their site daily for updates, or read their books sequentially, the content will still be there later.  You can find time to put some of their lessons into practice or analyze what you’ve learned during this time.  But you don’t need to force your guru into your routine.

It can be tough navigating your way through an activity or industry, and having solid gurus can help.  But if you become too dependent on them, you might wind up unable to develop your own skills and become a guru in your own right.

A few years ago, I was sitting at a fancy dinner put together by the Tulsa, Oklahoma Advertising Association at which famed writer, Comcast Must Die creator and Advertising Age columnist Bob Garfield spoke.  I don’t remember much about his speech, though I imagine that it had much to do with the sky falling for advertising and how we’d all need to get our asses in gear if we wanted to make it out alive.  There was a PowerPoint presentation involved.

During the Q&A session, a friend of mine said to him, “I’m about to graduate with a degree in advertising, and you aren’t giving me much hope for the future.”

“Well, dental school is always a good option.”  He replied.

The crowd laughed, and it’s taken me a couple of years to get it.  At first, I thought that he was saying something about needing a backup plan.  Like, as long as people have teeth, the world will need dentists – maybe not advertisers, but definitely dentists.  Then I thought he meant something like, if you’re that unsure about what you’ve chosen to do with life, you probably chose wrong. But what he was really saying (or at least what I now think he was saying) was that you need to stay current and adapt to changes around you.*

Relying on books and learning theory will only take you so far, as will following someone else’s system.  You need to practice, innovate and refine oyur techniques to truly be successful in the job search or in life.

But Andrew, you say.  I work in accounting!  What am I supposed to do, be creative with numbers? To which I reply with a solid no.  But you could work on finding a more efficient method of calculating those numbers, or develop new cost-effective strategies.  Lawyers can work on a new litigation technique.  Math teachers can, um…

Okay, so math teachers are pretty much stuck with what they’ve got.

But the point remains: whether you’re trying to find a job or looking to improve on one you have, innovation and development will help you get to where you want to be.

Unless Bob Garfield was really suggesting dentistry as a career option.  In which case, let’s just pretend that this metaphor is really what he was thinking.

BY THE WAY: Bob Garfield has a new book out for all your fancy reading devices. Or you can get his other book.

* I came to this conclusion because Bob was also talking a bit about how to profit in a down market, when clients are abandoning you.  So the solution seemed to be a metaphorical way of saying “find a profitable area and go with it”.

So now that Extended Metaphor Week is coming to an end, I will leave you with one of the best examples I can think of that relates to your job search.  Of course, I also like trashy TV (less thinking that way), so that might have something to do with it.  So grab the remote, plant your behind on the couch, and get ready to watch some people not make friends.

VH1 is what I would consider one of the great empires of reality television.  Where their casting people find the contestants on their dating shows, I don’t know.  I think they’re grown in vats somewhere in Southern New Jersey, but that’s just a theory.  Regardless of their point of origin, it seems like everyone on every dating show, from Flavor of Love to Rock of Love to Real Chance of Love to Daisy of Love to For the Love of Ray J to I Love New York (notice a trend?) ends up falling into the same trap: a lack of self-awareness.

While it’s easy to understand that copious amounts of alcohol, producers interested in getting good plots from their “unscripted dramas,” clever editors and general silliness may be a large reason that many of these shows have less-than-realistic contestants, it is nonetheless a great way of looking at exaggerated human behavior.  One has to wonder how much those involved are attempting to create a character in the hopes of getting their own spin-off, or are looking for national exposure (many of them are invited to do personal appearances at clubs and bars after they are on these shows).  To paraphrase Chuck Klosterman, most of the drama on these shows would end almost immediately if one of those in the argument would say, “You’re just saying that because you know it’ll end up on TV.”

But putting aside an anthropological and socio-cultural analysis for a minute, we will focus on the point of this example: how it relates to the job search.

The way that many of the contestants get off on the wrong foot (and the way you can almost always determine the “winner”) is by the first impressions that they make with the star bachelor/ette.  Those who drink to excess or who seem too eager to please or too ready to be on TV will not last.  Those who conduct themselves in a dignified – or whatever passes for dignified in the world that these shows exist in – manner almost always win.  They make a positive first impression.

Breaking this down to its most essential elements, the key characteristic that they all have in common is made of two components: setting themselves apart and keeping something back.  While it may just be the editors’ work, it always seems that the eventual winner acts a bit more reserved, relaxed, comfortable, and normal than the rest of the contestants.  They let their personalities shine through, rather than adopting a cover to make them seem to be someone else.  Also, they don’t charge in with everything they have, be it a special talent, skill, or “other” thing.  They show these parts of themselves when prompted to do so, but do not force the issue.  Think of these as good job interviewing tactics.

When the shows are over, the contestants will now have a type of notoriety for being on the shows.  However, they will be known for their parts in edited conversations, key altercations, or some significant action that they performed while on the show.  As people tend to remember things in shorthand, you can use this to your advantage while writing a resume or cover letter.  By adding information (or presenting content) in a way that is different from other applicants, you are becoming more memorable to your potential interviewer.  As long as you make sure it’s for a good thing (an award, project, skill, etc.) as opposed to something negative (typos, curse words, impractical job experience, etc.), your odds of getting a callback will increase.

There are other lessons that the contestants (many through specific instances) on VH1 dating shows can teach you.  Perhaps we’ll go back to that topic at some point in the future.

And by the way, you should not try to get on these shows.  Especially I Love Money.  That show won’t help your job prospects at all.

This is a man who needs no introduction.  Not only because I introduced him in the title to this post, but also because he introduces himself.  With little but his name and the combination of two single-syllable words, both told in the exclamatory, Flavor Flav became a rap and hip-hop icon.

As one of the first great hype men (see: Lil Jon, T-Pain), Flav brought excitement to crowds, keeping the energy for Public Enemy at a fever pitch.  While Chuck D’s lyrics were incendiary and Professor Griff’s acts were militant, Flav brought a fun, comfortable, more down-to-earth aspect to the group.  Also, he helped father a new type of reality show.

And perhaps most importantly, he pretty much single-handedly brought the viking helet back into style (way to drop the ball there, Hagar).

So what does a hip-hop pioneer and reality TV veteran have to do with your job search?

Flav is a perfect example of why you need solid references and referrals (or good hype, if you will).  If someone is referring you for a position, they are adding to your value in the eyes of your potential employer.  The concept behind both this and Flav’s success is rooted in something called social proof.

When people hear about something or someone from a trusted source, they think it is more superior than if they heard about it themselves.  This is how critics make their money, and why there are celebrity endorsements.  However, this can also work for strangers.  Even if a stranger introduces you to another stranger, you will still feel a bit more comfortable because of that added step of introduction, which makes them seem important.  In Flav’s case, he was social proof for Public Enemy.  He showed crowds it was all right to get excited about the music, that they could sing along and enjoy themselves despite the serious tones of the songs.

So how do you get social proof?  If you have any contacts that can refer you to anyone at a company you are trying to work for, use them to get that contact, and form at least an acquaintance with that person.  After all, wouldn’t you prefer it if someone called to say that your mutual friend suggested they talk to you, rather than if a stranger called?

Your new contact will probably help you if they can, and their endorsement will make it more likely that whoever is looking to hire you will do so.  A solid list of references can also help with this, although it is a bit more difficult to use them (as they will be called into play after you have been interviewed).

One way that you can be your own hype person, if you can’t get social proof through contacts, is to send a creative application or work samples (if applicable; don’t try this if you’re going for accounting, finance, etc.) to make yourself stand out as a professional.  We talked about personal branding with another celebrity, and that concept works here as well.

So get out there and make some social contacts, get that social proof, and fight the power!

I mean, get that job!

So way back when I had just started doing the Sunday Links, I suggested a book of funny cover letters that I thought would be a great bit of stress-relief (even though it was more of a book recommendation than a link, per se).  However, the article from the following week’s link kind of mucked that up.  But I’m willing to give you all the benefit of the doubt here.

Fired! by Annabelle Gurwitch is a collection of stories from barely to fairly famous people about getting fired from various jobs.  And if you enjoy schadenfreude, funny stories or just want something good to read, this one is highly recommended.  Also, there’s a documentary that works as a companion to the book, for those of you who really hate reading.

Did I mention that you can get the book on Amazon for only 1 cent?  One cent, for the love of Pete!  Even if you’re out of work, you can afford that!  Why not give it a try?

Fired! by Annabelle Gurwitch

If you haven’t seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for some strange reason (not from the US, no television, don’t enjoy awesome 80s movies, don’t have a soul, etc.), here’s a lovely tribute song, complete with a callback in the chorus to one of my favorite parts.  Afterwords, you can go out and rent and watch the movie.  I’ll wait.

Welcome back!  Sure took you a while (special features, huh?).

For those of you who cheated, the gist of the movie is that Ferris Bueller takes the day off (re: ditches) school with his girlfriend and best friend and goes on all sorts of adventures.  Wow, sure sounds great, huh?

Also, he has to escape the wrath of the principal and get back home in time to not arouse the suspicions of his parents.

So, you, having now passed a few hours’ time watching the YouTube clip and movie, what does this have to do with the job search?

Besides pointing out how awesome Chicago is (and that there are probably a few jobs there, so take a look if you don’t mind moving, or the Cubs), the movie plays out the potential consequences of the age-old problem of relative value.  Which is more important to Ferris: education or shenanigans?  Since he takes the day off, it’s pretty safe to say what his choice is.

So let’s take that thought process and turn it into a job search.  Say that Ferris is currently in a part-time or entry-level job that he doesn’t like much (school), and he wants to take time to look for a better job (take the day off).  He will have to do it without alerting his boss (principal) and co-workers (parents), as this could have dire consequences.  So instead, he plans out how to go about looking for work (shenanigans) without arousing suspicion.

While I wouldn’t advocate Ferris’ method, especially as he pretty much takes over Chicago (the parade and baseball game especially) and uses deceit to get ahead (Abe Froman), there is something in his approach that I do suggest you use: confidence.

Often, when looking for a job while having another one, people get nervous about being found out by their bosses and co-workers.  Clandestine lunch interviews are planned, personal emails are diverted, phone calls are made discreetly (through one’s office phone, of course), and the whole thing has a dirty, torrid affair-like sense to it.  This in turn affects not only the interviewing process, but the person’s feelings towards their current and prospective employers.

But Ferris goes for the gusto.  There’s no shame in looking for something better and grabbing for what one knows that they deserve.  As long as there is awareness and disclosure on the part of the person looking to move on towards the interviewer, there is no reason to feel guilty.  Go for the brass ring, but be cordial and polite to your current employer(s).  And be aware of and ready to accept the consequences.  It’s just a job.  Don’t feel bad about wanting something better.

Unless you’re trying to get a position as the Sausage King of Chicago.   In which case, be careful.

This post dedicated to the memory of John Hughes, whose films I (mostly) missed by a few years in both theatrical release and generation, but still enjoy.

The job: Motivational speaker

You might like this job if: You are good at both motivating and speaking.  And selling.  And having a definite point of view.  And telling stories.  Oh, and you have to market yourself and your books, so you should be good at writing too.  And organization.  And if you enjoy doing all of these (and other things), you might like being a motivational speaker!

The good: You get to help people make positive changes in their lives while getting a tidy profit.  You might become a celebrity!  And you will be an expert on some exciting topic (probably) and get called in as a talking head for a 24-hour news channel or daytime talk show!  Plus, your face and name will be all over your books, CDs, t-shirts, coasters, etc.  It’s like being a Hollywood star, but instead you have a lot of cute acronyms for stuff (kinda like Gary Busey, I guess).

The bad: If you’re successful, you will travel a lot.  I mean A LOT.  You also have to constantly memorize new speeches to give on new topics so you can retain old speaking gigs.  And there’s a lot of competition – there are hundreds of speakers bureaus representing hundreds of clients.  It can take a while to get to the top of the speakers’ circuit, and once you’re there, it’s hard to transition to another field.  Also, it’s mostly dependent on you being motivated yourself and having some prior experience that is a good “hook” for whatever your speech is on.  There’s a lot of work that goes into being a professional speaker, and some people can’t overcome the big hump of work it takes.

Summary: If you’re a charismatic, confident, intelligent, organized, got-their-stuff-together kind of person, you might be able to make it as a speaker.  But it takes an incredible amount of dedication and a conscious effort to put yourself out there as a model of whatever life-bettering patter you have.  There’s high risk and high reward, but the competition and sacrifices that one has to make to do the job have cut down many people.

Rating: Three shiny 32-tooth smiles out of five