Okay, fine, there is usually is. But I especially love this one. It’s about job interviews and it’s telling me (and others) that being a drone on an interview doesn’t necessarily help you get the job. Instead of following every single standard procedure and giving the “right” answer, there are other ways to ace an interview – even ones you wouldn’t really expect. The question is “What is the craziest thing you’ve ever said or done in a job interview – and still gotten the job?”
There are stories on this thread of people being blatantly honest and unguarded in an interview, and being rewarded for it. Yessss. Even if some of the behavior is borderline inappropriate, it set the interviewee apart from the rest and showed that he/she had some personality and backbone. Personally, if I were hiring someone, I would definitely want to know that they would speak their mind and give their opinion. It’s where the best work comes from. A drone that could give the best “standard” interview answer would not cut it for me. Not to mention – people remember the unexpected. When you ask someone how they’re doing, it doesn’t really catch their attention if they simply say “I’m doing well.” But if they say, “I’m really thriving today, feeling fantastic and energized” – it’s not going to just slip by your ears.
Check out the thread and think about what honest statement you’d make in your next interview. I can tell you that this has already paid off for me – I’ve had two phone calls with prospective freelance jobs that went well because I gave my honest opinion on a project. The guys were happier because they knew how to figure out their next steps and prioritized their ideas.
PS For those of you not familiar with Quora, you’ll have to sign up to see all the answers past the first one. You can sign in with Google+/gmail, Facebook, or with an email.
There’s an inspiring conversation on Quora right now.
What You Need to Know Before Working at a Startup
1. Don’t.
Just kidding. Sort of. Working at a start-up is a lot of fun – if you’re working at the right one. However, it’s not for everyone, and it’s certainly not for the unprepared. It’s intense in a way that can be destructive if you don’t manage your time and yourself, as well as your experience. Here’s what you should consider:
1. If you don’t have 3-5 years of solid experience in your field, at a reputable company, don’t go work for a startup unless it’s big enough and strong enough that you have an insanely experienced, proven VP working above you and coaching you. Don’t expect to get this from someone who founded the company by themself at a young age and has no formal experience.
2. A lower salary than the standard for your industry is common at a startup, and that’s fine. However, that equity, benefits, or other perks should supplement that lower salary to let employees know they’re valued and cared for.
3. Don’t trust or rely on bonuses or profit-sharing, even if they’re promised. For one, profit-sharing is never guaranteed (what if there are no profits?) and bonuses, even when you’ve performed well, are likely to be wiped as well if there aren’t any profits. Start-ups are too volatile for these to be “for sure.”
4. Know that your status at the company is up to the whims of your co-founder(s) if the company belongs solely to them.
5. Ask about funding. Where is it coming from? A bank? Investors? Family and friends? This is important because it says a lot about who is in control. If there are investors, the head honchos have to answer to someone. If not, they don’t.
6. Have a very exact job description, expectations, and responsibilities. Otherwise, start-ups can get messy and accountability is difficult. This can create tough situations during reviews and feedback and have great impact on promotions, raises, lay-offs, or firing.
Start-ups are exciting. But, the pressure and uncertainty that come with a new venture make the work environment dicey. Be thorough when you’re considering when making the move, and beware the dangers.
Let’s not confuse “guerilla marketing” with “inexpensive” marketing.
One of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company’s blimp fleet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I often hear people talk about guerrilla marketing as if it’s a way to market without a budget.
It’s not. If we want to have truly effective marketing, we need to be clear about the kind of money that is spent on marketing.
The problem with marketing and public relations is that it is often hard to directly measure their results. Sure, often times sales will rise during and after an effective campaign, but there are helpful elements – such as exposure – that are harder to measure yet still incredibly valuable.
I recently heard a radio piece about the Goodyear Blimp – a very well known marketing tool that many people don’t even think to recognize as such. When you hear the word “blimp” what image pops into your head? My guess is that it’s either the Goodyear blimp or the Hindenberg and my guess again is that more people think of Goodyear than the Hindenberg – especially as we move farther in time from that disaster.
That’s pretty deep saturation as far as marketing goes, and it doesn’t come cheap. The Goodyear blimp was named as one of the top six guerrilla marketing campaigns - based on this, I think it’s obvious that guerrilla and cheap are not synonymous when it comes to marketing.
Granted, there are cheaper ways to execute some fantastic guerrilla marketing – think: stickers, balloons, a table in a very public place giving out free product along with a t-shirt. You don’t have to spend hundreds of thousands on a blimp, but you have to be prepared to spend something.
The old adage of spend some to make some has not disappeared just because people have gotten more creative.
READ THIS BOOK: Predictably Irrational
On Quitting When Jobs Are Scarce
The most common complaint from people my age is that there are no jobs, it’s impossible to find a job, etc. “The economy is terrible,” we moan, “how will we ever make enough money to buy a home or travel to Asia or have a fancy car?”
Visual DNA: Personality So Simply Explained
I am fascinated by the way people behave, why they don’t like each other, and how they can improve themselves through behavior (rather than, say, reading a book). I took the Visual DNA Personality test the other day – a personality test in which you choose pictures instead of rate yourself 1-5.
