Saturday, September 16, 2023

It's been twenty minutes since Remy went in for his first job interview. This is a good sign, I think. We arrived early and the other employees didn't know where he was supposed to go. But that's why we arrived early. 

He had filled out his resume and application online, so he didn't bring physical copies with him. I told him that interviewers aren't always prepared and to bring physical copies just in case. Bonus if you put them in a professional-looking folder of some kind. If we had time we could have found a briefcase, I'm sure. We could have done the bit where he opens it up and takes out a sandwich. I love that bit. Although I guess that's not the point of interviews. 

I also advised him to dress up a little more. I was once selected over another job candidate because I wore a tie. 

Regardless of the outcome, it is time to teach him the walk-with-a-purpose stride. It's something I learned in the Army and it has served me well. In Basic Training, if you were walking casually, that was a sign you weren't busy and any drill sergeant who saw you walking like that would then find something for you to clean. 

It's a brisk walk, not quite a march, that gives the impression that someone important has instructed you to be at an exact place at an exact time. The key is to not appear as if you're running late. Irresponsible people run late. Not you. You're not in a rush, because you are responsible and will be there in plenty of time, provided nobody attempts to distract you with unnecessary cleaning tasks. 

It works.