I recently was asked to speak at Arizona State University. I was asked to speak with students about the job market, 30 second pitches and tips and tricks to interviewing.
I had a great time being really "honest" with the students. I told them about all the jobs I've been turned down for. Some of the stories were funny and others were depressing.
I pretty much told the students how I've been a professional job hunter the last 5 years.
While talking to them I remembered the chapter I wrote in my book. I've decided to share that chapter with you today. Enjoy!
Now
Hiring…Just not you!
I can't imagine anything more worthwhile than doing
what I most love. And they pay me for it. Edgar
Winter
“Hi.
My name is Frank C. Kitchen and my initials say it all. You should hire me
because I am fun, creative and knowledgeable. I create the environments that
everyone desires to work in. If you need someone to plan your next event, train
your staff or motivate your employees, then contact me at
hirefrankkitchen@yahoo.com. That's H-I- R-E Frank Kitchen, like the room, at
Yahoo.com. No job is too big or too small. All I need is you and the
opportunity to shine.”
Those are the
words I spoke on January 28, 2010. I was appearing on the cable news network CNN.
I was a guest on 30 Second Pitch. I had 30 seconds to tell the world on live television
why I would be a great employee. After my appearance, I received e-mails from
around the world. I received compliments. People thanked me for inspiring them.
I also received offers for a variety of pyramid schemes. The one thing I didn’t receive was a legitimate job
offer. I thought the jobs offers would overwhelm me. I had nailed my live
interview, but I was still looking for a job. That day made me realize that, I
am not defined by my job.
The jobs, careers
and work you pursue have a huge impact on your dreams. In 2007, I left my job
at Lakeland Community College to pursue my passion. I was going to be a
full-time speaker. I saved my money. Contracts were lined up. I moved across
the country to live with my future wife. Everything was going great until, The
World Financial Crisis hit. People were losing jobs, companies were filing for
bankruptcy and everyone was cutting their budgets. Not a good time to start a
new business as a speaker.
My adventures as a
professional job hunter began in 2008. My speaking calendar was very
inconsistent. I was under-employed. I was working, but not enough to pay my
bills. I figured it would be easy for me to get a job to help make ends meet. I
was armed with a great resume, a killer personality, a college degree and a
long list of accomplishments. I expected a great paying job with lots of
responsibility.
I read countless
articles about the changing job environment. The articles said I shouldn’t let
my ego or pride get in the way of my job hunt. So, I applied for everything.
Here are a few of
the jobs I applied for:
Painter, substitute teacher, toxic
waste disposal, bank teller, event planner, product representative, solar
sales, water sales, flight attendant, rental car sales associate, stadium tour
guide, security officer, school crossing guard, street sweeper, personal trainer,
audio and visual technician, hot air balloon employee, apartment rentals, youth
mentor, human resources positions, speakers series director, zoo employee,
sports league coordinator, secretary, office manager, youth mentor, personal
assistant, pharmaceutical representative, acting coach, model coach, volunteer
trainer, Student Activities Director, hotel manager, movie theater employee,
waiter, public address announcer, pizza cook, valet, limo driver, delivery man,
writer, golf course attendant, radio station representative, census worker,
fundraiser, telemarketer, hospital baby photographer, birthday party host and
as a speaker.
I was turned down
for every job above. No interviews, no decline letters and no reason for why I
wasn’t good enough. I am a very confident individual, but my confidence was
starting to wane. I was a National Keynote speaker, but was being turned down
for 9-5 jobs. I could train a company’s
employees at a conference one day. The next day I would be turned down for a
job as a corporate trainer. Why couldn’t I get a job? Why couldn’t I get an
interview? Why couldn’t I get a simple letter saying, “Thanks, but no thanks?”
I was no longer living the American Dream. I was living the American Nightmare.
I was waking up to The Employment Hustle.
The Employment
Hustle is what job hunters are experiencing
everywhere. It’s just like a board game. This board game has a major problem.
There are numerous players, but only one player has the rules. That one player
has the ability to change the rules anytime they want. That one player is known
as The Employer. The only way for
you win this game is to learn the tricks of the trade. You have to learn that
your job is not your life.
You are not
defined by your job. You are defined by your passions, pursuits, beliefs and
accomplishments. A job is a tool used to accomplish your dreams. When you start
to think this way, you will be one step closer to living your dreams.
I applied for
every job under sun. It was the wrong thing to do. I wasn’t getting any closer
to my dreams. I was being desperate. Don’t chase after the hot jobs listed on a
website. Don’t follow trends blindly. Don’t listen to the people who say there
is a right way to write a resume. You
will find job fairs that don’t have jobs. Job-hunting is very subjective.
Employers have the upper hand because there are millions of people willing work
for anything. You have to pursue work you are passionate about.
When you pursue a
passion, it’s not work. My best friend Scott is a golf coach. He loves to play
golf. It’s an expensive sport, but it’s a passion. His father first taught him
the game he fell in love with. His dream is to play as much as possible and be
the best he can. To accomplish his dream, he started working at a golf course
and coaching the local high school golf team. Both jobs allow him the
opportunity to play all the golf he wants. It equates to thousands of dollars
saved. He has truly worked to create a lifestyle. Scott’s not working, he’s
living his dream. You have to work to create the lifestyle you want. The best
work opportunity for you isn’t always posted on a jobsite. You have to go out
and create it.
“The single greatest error and deception of our
accounting system: people are paced in the liability column on the balance
sheet. Machinery and computers are categorized as assets and people as
liabilities.” – The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly
You are not
guaranteed a job. I thought I was.
I learned an employer doesn’t have to hire you. People costs are the
greatest expenditure for any business. Companies are cutting costs and trying
to improve profits. They can layoff employees with a snap of their fingers.
They can choose not to hire new staff when the costs are too expensive. Yes,
you are seen as a liability. Being a liability you have to prove how you will
help the employer build their dream or prove you can make them money. For every
job opening there are several qualified candidates and hundreds of prospective
candidates applying for the position you want. A company is loyal to its
stockholders and bottom line. They don’t have to give you a job. You can no
longer expect to have a job. You have to earn it. During your job hunts, find
employers to work with, not work for. When you work with someone, it’s a
partnership. You’re working together to help build each other’s dreams.
Scott created his
opportunities. He befriended the right people and let them know about his
passion for golf. Scott learned about his golfing jobs by networking. The
United States Labor Department stated that 69% of job hunters acquired their
jobs through networking or talking to someone they know. Don’t spend all of
your valuable time searching job websites. The sites don’t allow you to
standout from the crowd. Talk to the people you know. These people know you
well. They can give you a recommendation that a website can’t. If 69% of
employment comes from knowing someone, why do people spend the majority of
their time seeking employment from people they don’t know? Focus your valuable
time and energy on the people who care about you.
I want you to be armed with the knowledge needed to successfully survive
the employment jungle. I want your dreams to become reality. Your lifestyle and
career path will be a determining factor. You’ll have to work hard, but it is
more important for you to work smarter. Nothing is guaranteed. The chances of
you being with a company for life are slim. Don’t base your life around your
work. Pursue work where you will have more positive experiences than negative.
Find an environment you desire work in. Take advantage of the job. Don’t let it
take advantage of you. Find work that allows you to use your special skills and
talents. Find work that allows you to pursue a passion. Find work that assists
you with living your dreams. Pursue a passion. When you are passionate about
something, it’s not a job. It’s you hiring yourself to live your life.
