How NOT to get the job you want

When I was a sophomore in College, I decided to apply for my first real internship. It was a sales internship for a Fortune 500 Company. I studied interview books for weeks and prepared answers and stories for the questions I thought they might ask. If I received good grades on tests, then surely I’d be able to pass the test in an interview, right? When the day of the interview came, I went to the location on campus and waited in the lobby. When I was invited in by the interviewer, I couldn't wait to hear the first question. Would it be something like “tell me about a problem you had to solve...” or “Assume you have 6 balls that all weigh the same…except one…”

Then he asked me, “Where are you from?”

I replied, “I grew up in Southeast Texas, sir.” (alright, he's getting to know me--now we'll get to the real questions)

He paused and thought, then asked “Wow, Texas is a long way from Utah. Why did you choose to go to school out here?”

I replied, “I don’t know really. I guess it’s because it’s where my parents went to school.” (okay, I thought, now we'll get to the part where I get to show how qualified I am!)

He paused again and said, “Huh, that’s great. Well, do you have any questions for me?”

I had never been in a real interview before—not for a major company at least—but I couldn't imagine they'd ask me two questions that were seemingly meaningless and then ask if I had questions. I desperately wanted to look smart, so I asked about how they thought about their competitors, maybe it would give me a chance to parrot out some jargon I learned in my undergrad classes. He sighed and subtly rolled his eyes and then said, “Well, that’s not really how we do business. Sure, we’re aware of what our competition is doing, but we chase our own vision rather than always worrying about what the other guy is doing.”

At that point he stood up, thanked me for coming, and ushered me out the door. Weeks of preparation for a 5 minute meeting. I don’t think you have to ask if I got the job. I most assuredly did not. To seasoned professionals, this experience may sound familiar. An overly confident young candidate comes to an interview where you learn they don’t really know what they want to do with their life. It can be off putting, and in this case it took just a matter of seconds for the interviewer to decide I didn’t have the passion they were looking for. He didn’t waste his time with me.

I wrestled with that experience for weeks afterwards. "How could he dismiss me so quickly?" I thought. It was the first time I had to really examine and grapple with what I wanted to do with my life. It was a kickstart for a new way of thinking. Rather than planning my career path for the next 25 years, I introspectively explored what drove me.

I'm grateful for that failure as it taught me a valuable lesson, one I look for in candidates today. In the workplace, you need to showcase more than just competency. Employers and coworkers want to see how you take ownership of your development. In other words, there are plenty of qualified candidates with the right credentials, but the traits that will set you apart are passion, curiosity and grit.

Perhaps that's why a 2019 Deloitte-led survey of 3000 US workers found that only 20% of employees were truly passionate about their work. Too many people still think they'll be passionate when they land their "dream job" or if their employer offers exciting responsibilities and a fancy title. While leadership can and should create an environment that encourages passion, ultimately the individual has to do the work. Passion also isn't something limited to a predefined list of interests you are hardcoded with at birth. It's a mindset, an attitude. The interviewer who met the 20 year old version of me wanted to see if I had a spark that could be ignited. My responses clearly displayed I was indifferent, desultory (lacking a plan, purpose, enthusiasm).

No employer can give you a dream job, and pursuing your passion can't make you happy now. That's because passion isn't something you find, it's something you develop. Bring it with you wherever you go. Then, you'll create your dream job. Stay curious, roll up your sleeves, and you'll discover you can find joy in almost anything.