Strange Parallel

Yesterday I attended a Liz Ryan Career Altitude workshop. If you live in the greater Denver area, I highly recommend it. It was like a getting customized career advice rolled into a two-hour therapy session--exactly what's needed for a job seeker looking to reclaim her mojo.

Among the many things we discussed was putting the focus NOT on what you've done and how great you are at doing it, but instead on how what you've done is going to help your future employer.

I paraphrase Liz here: "Diana, you know how when you go on a first date with a guy, and all he wants to talk about is how great he is and all the great things he's done? And what a turn-off that is?"

I haven't dated in twenty-three years, so I only vaguely recall. "Well, I'd excuse myself to go to the bathroom and never come back."

Liz persisted. "OK. So what if you went out with someone who says to you, 'I don't mean to be creepy or anything, but has anyone ever told you have beautiful eyes? And only the most brilliant things ever issue forth from your lips?' " (OK, I added the part about the brilliant things.)

"I have to pee, but I'm not going anywhere," I said.

Bingo! The take-home message, whether it's romantic courtship or career courtship: Figure out what they want, and be the one to bring it to them.