by J. Michael DeAngelis
Author’s note: This has become my traditional Halloween blog. I think that the contents are as relevant today as when I first wrote them – especially now, in the height of recruiting season and a big career fair next week!
When I was little, I had what I think was the greatest record collection a four year old could have. One of the crown jewels of my collection was a Walt Disney’s Trick or Treat, which retold one of the great Donald Duck cartoons of all time:
Oh, Donald, you irascible mallard!
“But Michael,” I can hear you say, “what does this have to do with Career Services?” Well, there’s a lot that we can learn from Donald, especially when it comes to attitude. Donald thinks pretty highly of himself. His refusal to give Huey, Dewey and Louie any candy stems not just from selfishness, but from a feeling of superiority. The unabashed glee that Donald has in outsmarting his nephews and Witch Hazel is comically evident throughout, but what’s funny in a cartoon is often destructive in real life.
Now, obviously, I don’t think that any of you are planning to stick firecrackers in your recruiter’s suitcase. Still, I have seen many people on the job hunt sabotage themselves because, consciously or un, they exude a Donald Duck like attitude. I see this not only here at Penn, but also in my second career in the theater arts.
There is a very fine but distinct line between having confidence and being smug. For example, I was recently looking to hire a small staff to work with me on a project outside of Career Services. A young woman came to interview for a position and, on paper, she seemed perfect. Her resume was good and she seemed enthusiastic about the project. Within in minutes, however, my feelings had changed. She spent the entire interview talking about how she and her friends had been “robbed” at a local awards ceremony. She began by saying that she was smarter than anyone on the awards committee and that her level of experience should have made her their top choice. I was immediately turned off. Worse, she continued by openly bad mouthing those who had won awards – including people I knew very well and who (unknown to the interviewee) would be working on this project. If she hadn’t done so already, this sunk her. A real Donald Duck.
Be proud of what you’ve done. Feel free to speak of your talents and achievements. Wow potential employers with everything you bring to the table…but be mindful of ego and hubris. In the interview room, don’t be a Donald Duck or, as the song says, “your nightmares will come true.”
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If you haven’t done so already, I also urge you to tune into this week’s CS Radio – our new podcast! In this special Halloween episode, we take a look at interview horror stories like the one above and how you can avoid them!
career journey. This is a theme you’ve heard before on this blog, but “honey” goes a lot further than vinegar in getting what you want in a professional setting. From networking to interviews to negotiating salary and being successful in your workplace, being professional and cordial works wonders! Of course, a little of Olaf’s self-deprecating humor never hurts either.