Getting a Job is Like Parking

Getting a job is like parking. You have to be in the right place at the right time.

Just like with many things in life, timing is very important. You have to be at the right place at the right time. One thing that is always interesting about the interview process is that you really don't know what is happening on the other side of the interview. You don't know where the company is in the interview process or what they are really looking for. You don't know where the company is in the interview process or what they are really looking for.

Once when looking for a job, I took a map ( this is before Google and GPS systems) and used a protractor to arc the distance from my new apartment to see what towns were nearby. I saw that if I went over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a neighboring city was only ten miles away. I picked up my briefcase with resumes, got dressed for a job interview, and drove over that bridge. I found that the county administrator was looking for an attorney. I knocked on his door and introduced myself. He looked as though he could not believe his good luck; he read my resume and interviewed me on the spot. It turned out the county administrator had already advertised for the position, did not like any of the candidates, and was getting pressure to hire someone quickly. He asked me to come back, and I started my new job within the week.

That was when I first realized that getting a job was like parking. Was I the best candidate? Probably not, but I did have experience. I was available and I was there. It is amazing what a protractor can do. My point is to get out there so that when somebody pulls out of his or her parking spot, you are ready to drive in that spot and get the job.



Mary Greenwood, Mediator, Attorney and Author ofHow To Negotiate LIke A Pro: 41 Rules for Resolving Disputes, Winner of six book awardsBest How To Book, DIY FestivalRunner Up, New York Book Festival, E-Book and Self-Help CategoryFinalist ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year AwardsFinalist, Best National Book Awards, Self-Help CategoryHonorable Mention, London Book FestivalHow To Mediate Like A Pro: 42 Rules for Mediating DisputesWinner of five book awardsBest National Book AWard, Law CategoryBest E-Book, New York Book FestivalBest How To Book, Beach Book FestivalBest E-Book, Indie Excellence AwardsSpirit AWard, South Florida Writers AssociationEmail: howtonegotiate@aol.com, www.marygreenwood.org