Trick - or - Treat

Dear September,

            This is the one where we talk about trick-or-treating. For those who don’t know, trick-or-treating is a Halloween custom for children in many countries. Children in costumes travel from house to house asking for treats such as candy with the phrase “trick or treat”. The “trick” is a (usually idle) threat to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given to them.

            September, I think that trick-or-treating is an enviable philosophy and perspective to have on life and pursuing your dreams. Having studied Employment Relations for the past four years, I have learned what employers look for in potential employees and these character traits are weirdly similar to the ones children dressed in costumes, who go trick-or-treating on Halloween possess. To make things easier, I will list the qualities that are evident in the children and explain how they are desirable to a potential employer.

Start early

            Trick-or treating can start for some children as early as three years old.  If I have learned anything in applying for jobs or following my dreams, it is that, it is never too early to begin. It is important to know that you don’t have to have everything an employer is looking for to apply. Starting early gives you the advantage of priority because there is such a thing as primacy effect or primacy bias. This is the tendency of employers to compare the entire talent pool to the first applicant or the first group of applicants. Plus, even if you do not get the job or reach your goal, at the very least you gain exposure and traction and that is not a bad thing. On Halloween night, the kids who start early are the ones who get the best candy and the most candy and the most choice.

            At the interview stage, going early tells the interviewer a lot about the kind of person you are, outside of your impressive resumé and cover letter. It tells them that you have mastered time-management and self-management and you have superior organizational skills and you are dependable. It is a good look, I’ll tell you that much.

Ask for help

Being that trick-or-treating is an activity for young children, they need help from their parents and guardians to pull it off. They need help figuring out what kind of costume to wear, and because it goes till dark, they need their parents to chaperone. The same thing can be said for candidates who are applying for a job. It is their responsibility to ask for help, even if it is as minor as just having a second set of eyes review your application before they submit it.

It is the also the job of the applicants to leverage the connections they have made through networking. If as an applicant, you have a contact within the company or someone who has gotten far in the application process, it makes sense to ask them for advice on how they made it that far. When you ask questions to people who currently work at an organization you are applying to, you foster conversation and strengthen the relationship to where you establish a trust and an alliance. This person can now act as an advocate for you. Asking questions also prevents you from making mistakes and this can save you a lot of time in the process.

Confident

            Children who trick-or-treat are confident. They usually choose outgoing costumes and hope to make a loud statement. Children who trick-or-treat cannot be bothered to compare themselves to others. When children are confident, the neighbours become more forthcoming and willing to hand out treats. A confident child like a confident potential employee is convincing. They don’t doubt themselves, which makes it difficult for the employers to doubt them.

            Confidence on both Halloween night and in an interview situation is not “I hope they like me,” it is “I will be fine if they don’t.” A confident person has a very good poker face, they know what they bring to the table so they are not afraid to eat alone. Confidence early in your career almost always creates opportunity for upward mobility at work. I think it is important to dress as someone you know well at Halloween or go into a career that you know very well; one you can carry a fluid conversation about. It helps when you answer to why you want a job or why you chose to dress as a superhero is not “because I think it is cool.”

Patience and Perseverance

            First, I have learned that patience and perseverance are not the sane thing.  Patience is the ability to remain calm and not become annoyed when waiting for a long time or when dealing with problems or difficult people.  Perseverance is the quality that allows someone to continue in a course of action even though it is difficult.

            In an interview setting, you are probably not going to be the first person the employers speak with. It is left to you to stay calm and collect your thoughts in the time that you wait. Patience is an important character trait to have when applying for a job and it is still important if or when you get the job. If it is a team member with a nasty attitude, patience will allow you to acknowledge their input without getting offended and welled up about the negativity that accompanies it.

Perseverance is more important when you are applying for a job. Having experienced this personally, looking for a job can be an extremely frustrating process. My advice will be to stay rationally optimistic and embrace your setbacks. Stay rationally optimistic by reminding yourself of your end goal, and reminding yourself that you never know exactly how you will get there, so it is important to stay open-minded and willing to adapt. In terms of embracing your setbacks, I honestly cannot count how many times I have had to tweak my cover letter format and re-organize my resumé, it just kind of comes with the territory. Every job application that you don’t get a call back for is an opportunity to learn and do something differently. It is also good to keep in mind that sometimes you can be the juiciest, reddest apple on the tree but employers could be prefer a peach or a cranberry.

Intransigence

            Yes, September, I know I’m pulling out the big words. Intransigence is basically the quality of being unwilling to compromise. Intransigence is at the very core and essence of trick-or-treating. Right off the bat, the kids give the neighbours an ultimatum and in most cases, it proves quite effective. The kids who also don’t compromise on their outfits end up with the most candy at the end of the night.

            Granted, the role of intransigence in the employment process is not as aggressive, but it is definitely just as important. The role of intransigence in the employment process or in the pursuit of your dreams is ironically to give you freedom, freedom to dream without inhibition and doubt. It is natural to want to only go for jobs that you are qualified for and dream dreams that you feel equipped to achieve but that leaves no room for your potential and the magic you possess.

            Dream big and believe that you can achieve what it is that is your dream. The first step to any dream coming true is daring to dream it. You are entitled to your dreams for the future, don’t let anyone tell you any different. I recently had a coffee meeting at a very large financial services firm with a hiring executive and it was intimidating, like crippling almost, but I did it because I feel like these are the kinds of steps I need to take to get to where I want to be.

Diligence

            Diligence is a tireless work ethic that perseveres. Diligence is careful and persistent work and effort. On Halloween night, diligence is doing research on who you want to dress as. Ensuring that you dress to impress and that your outfit is thorough, meticulous and deliberate. The same principle applies when deciding what to wear for an interview. You might as well put in the effort, because whether you do or not, people are going to make judgments and assumptions about your character based on what you wear. With respect to what to wear to an interview, my advice would be to dress how you would if you already had the job that you are applying for in that organization.

            The kids who go trick-or-treating at Halloween knock on every door on the street regardless of the house looks. The same should apply to us when you are looking for a job and/or pursuing your dreams. Never put all your eggs in one basket because you never know where help could come from. There is also not one human being that has just one thing that they are good at. Therefore, it is imperative that you invest time and effort and resources into multiple things you think you can be successful at.

Besides, one’s personal life and professional life are constantly intersecting and the lines are constantly blurred. An interview is usually set up to help employers get a feel for who a person is outside of their accolades and educational and professional strides. Nowadays, interviewers are asking potential employees unconventional questions like “If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?” or “what would you dress up as for Halloween and why?.” Because many people spend so much time trying to be who the employers want them to be, they forget to be who they are, in which case such questions can be quite daunting. It is also good to point out that, interviewers can tell when a person is being honest and when a person is being plastic and just saying what they think employers want to hear. Needless to say, it is important to not forget who you are and not get too swept up in who you think you need to be.

Humility

            When kids go trick-or-treating, they go with a bucket or a bowl to get as many sweets as possible from the neighbours. In the same way, remember that an interview is still a conversation and there will be ample opportunity to gain information that probably goes beyond what is available on the company website. In an interview setting, being open-minded and willing to learn may be what separates you from the next applicant. If you are like me, in your final year of university and/or applying for entry-level positions, then regardless of your experience and qualifications, the role will involve an extensive level of training. Being open and willing to receive the information offered during the interview, shows that you have a teachable spirit and this quality is always welcomed by employers. If an employer takes the time to give you information and teach you, it could mean that they see you in the company long term and they are willing to make opportunities for upward mobility within the company available to you.

Optimism

            I think the most important things you can learn from a child who goes out trick-or-treating on the night of Halloween is their innocence and optimism. When a child dresses up and goes out trick-or-treating, they believe that they will get lots of candy by the end of the night. They don’t think of other people’s costumes or getting scared on the way. They are wide-eyed and hopeful that in the end, the outcome will be favourable to them.

            This is also a great perspective to have on an interview. Do your absolute best and put your best foot forward, but also see it as a learning opportunity and chance to get your foot in the door and make the right connections. See it is as a means to an end rather than an end in itself. There is always going to be someone with a better costume at Halloween, and better grades and more relevant experience and prettier hair, stressing about it will do absolutely nothing. So, my advise to you will be to focus all your attention on yourself and think only positive thoughts. Believe that you are a bright star and if the employers can’t see that then it’s their loss.

            So, September, this is as Halloween-y as I am going to get. I know this was an unusually long ramble but hopefully, it was worth it. It is ironic that one of the darkest nights of the year can be so enlightening. Irrespective of whether you accept it or not, we are all different and nothing can change that. Copy and paste does not work in real life. The best thing you can do is harness your experiences and channel them to serve as guides on your journey to success. I’m rooting for you and me both.

                                                                                                            All my love,

                                                                                                                                    Nini