Get people to take me seriously

Imagine being one of fewer than 100 specialists in a specific branch of space materials science worldwide. But in spite of your expertise, brilliance, and portfolio filled with famous names, nobody is giving you a call for an interview.

This was the situation for a job seeker who came to work with me last year.

Before we hopped on a call, I looked through his job search material, amazed and a bit star-struck by everything he'd accomplished. His portfolio was a bit messy, and sure, he could polish the language on his resume and cover letter. But for a hiring decision-maker with a trained eye, these things shouldn't be that big of an issue.

Then the day of the call came. I put on a blouse, added a bit of makeup, and sat in the dining room. 10 minutes late to the call, my job seeker arrived.

I want to say this as politely as possible, because I could tell from the beginning that my job seeker was a really good guy who cared about his work. But his presence was so overwhelming, so chaotic, and even a bit alarming that I had to stop the call halfway.

I addressed him by his first name, told him that I didn't want to come across as rude or unkind, and asked, "Is this how you usually act when you're on a call with a potential employer?"

He laughed, told me that he knew exactly what I was talking about, and said that he always had a big personality.

I finally understood where the source of the problem was, and so we developed a strategy to change how people perceived him. The game was "executive presence at all times." In his words, the game was, "get people to take me seriously."

We rewrote his resume and cover letter template, and we redesigned his portfolio. Then I coached this man every evening for a week straight, adjusting his interview answers and appearance. The energy that I wanted him to exude was that of someone in complete control of their life. That any employer, customer, or colleague could approach him and know that they were in safe, expert-level hands.

He ultimately landed a job with a former employer and negotiated a pay bump of ~$15,000 from his previous base salary. He and I became buddies, and it's with his blessing that I share today's post with you all.

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