This is a must-see: this video is on Youtube. Start watching at minute 13:15.

It is a recording of a Vlog done by Scott Adams, the maker of the Dilbert comics. If the video is deleted or if you cannot watch it online then the video file is here.

The following is Scott Adams’ message.

Interview tips. … I’ll tell you one. A couple of rules of interviews that you’re not (aware of). I guess these are just as close as you can get to a universally true thing. The only thing you need to do in an interview is to convince the interviewer that you’re going to add something to the situation.

So if all you’re doing is like “I have this skill, I did this, I did that”, then you’re kind of you look like everybody else. If you come in with a bunch of BS and you say “I have come here to be the best employee who has ever worked at this company, I will make us a fortune”, well, it’s a little dubious.

But if you come in and say “look, this is my philosophy: I’m going to help out, even if it’s not my job. I’m going to try to figure out what works and what doesn’t. I’ll be honest. If you ask me what doesn’t work, I promise I’ll be honest about that. And if you ask me what is working, I’ll be honest about that. So what I’m bringing you to this job is I promise that I’m not going to be stuck in my little box. You know, if there’s something that needs to be done, I’m just going to do it. And you’re not going to hear me say, that wasn’t my job.” You tell that to a boss and you went to the top of the list. Nobody disagrees. 

Yes, it is so easy.

And here comes the second part of what you say in your job interview:

You go into your boss and you go in for an interview and let’s say your qualifications or at least as good as the other people, you go and say: “Here’s the deal. All the people applying for this job, we all look pretty good on paper. I’m not going to think my job is limited to the hours or to the task. I’m here to give you what you need. I’m going to I’m going to be honest with you. I work well with co-workers. I’m not here to have fights. I’m here to get the stuff done because that’s the only thing that makes me feel good. When I go home at night. I want to feel like I did something useful. And if I come to work and I don’t feel that what I’m doing is useful, I’m going to come to talk to you and we’ll figure out how to make it useful. Beyond that, I’m pretty sure that I have all the capabilities to learn everything you need based on what I already know. But I also think a lot of other people are going to bring that to the job. What I’m going to bring to you is ‘no problems’. I’ll never be your problem, boss. I will never be your problem. But quite often, I will be your solution. You know, if you need some other problem solved, come to me. I’ll do my job and I’ll help you as much as I can on the other stuff. And I’m never going to complain about that.” You say that to a boss and you’re hired.

Conclusion

If you get to the interview, and you make this sales pitch, you’re going to get the job.

After that, your primary task will be this: do exactly what you promised in the job interview. If you are not willing to do what you said, better don’t apply for that job. You will save yourself and your environment a lot of pain by not applying for that job.

This is also a good way to find out whether you are a “class A” employee or not. If you cannot live what Scott Adams is suggesting to bring to the table then you have given in to being a “class B” employee, with a mediocre life.

You can also find a general marketing principle in Scott Adam’s statement: “reasons-why advertising”. The law of this form of advertising is simple to describe: “Rule #21 – Lead with the benefit. Follow with the proof.” Read my earlier article here https://ip-lawyer-tools.com/reason-why-advertising-seven-7-copywriting-examples-to-copy/ and use that knowledge for wording your entire job application.

Martin “Taken” Schweiger