I’m a big fan of Conan O’Brien. I’m not sure if it’s the hair, or if it’s that I can easily relate to someone abnormally tall, but like many late night hosts he’s a genius at getting attention. And he recently got my attention.
I stumbled across an article he posted on LinkedIn of all places, called Hire Power, about the secret to getting hired. Although the article is a bit dated in terms of the fast paced world of social media (2013 – practically ancient at this point), the message itself is timeless and hilarious. According to Conan, “All you need to succeed in today’s competitive job market is a letter of recommendation from a politician or celebrity. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.” He even goes as far as posting a free-to-use letter of recommendation. All you have to do is circle the word that best applies to you.
Even though it was an effort by Conan to troll LinkedIn, there’s a not so subtle truth behind his message. The most commonly accepted practice to land a job today is in the oft repeated phrase – it’s all about who you know. Yes, leveraging your network and your social media base is the best place to start when you’re looking for a job, BUT you shouldn’t put all of your eggs in one LinkedIn basket.
So, in the event you don’t have a celebrity BFF to write you a letter of recommendation, what do you do next? I sat down with a few members of eQ’s Talent Group to get their thoughts.
• Community Connection: Just because you’re not friends with the CEO of a non-profit who saves orphans or three legged puppies doesn’t mean you can’t have a community connection. Jess Drew believes this shouldn’t stop you from actually getting out there and doing real community work. By doing this you may actually bump into someone who will be willing to give you that brilliant letter of recommendation Conan says you need.
• Know Before You Go: According to Susie Landgren, knowing the person you’re interviewing with, and actually doing your homework can pay dividends. Being able to prove you read more than just the job requirements can establish a positive rapport with your interviewer and shows your genuine interest in the position. You also need to stay authentic when you interview. If the person interviewing you has interviewed more than one other person, chances are they can smell any BS from a mile away. Try not to lie your way through the process.
• It’s Kind of a Big Deal: You may be a seasoned veteran of interviewing and the job application process, but you still need to take every one seriously. Jonna Faulise said you really have to put thought into the application and interview. When you take it seriously, and put genuine effort into the hiring process, it really shows. Be a stand out candidate. This stuff really isn’t something you can coast through…this isn’t high school.
• Keep it Simple Stupid: Not an original thought, but still a true one. You may feel like you’re doing your chances a favor by fluffing your resume with cool sounding action verbs and technical terminology, but you’re not. Jonna Faulise said it’s not uncommon for her to read someone’s resume and have no idea what they do in their job. Don’t over complicate your resume. Keep it simple stupid.
You don’t really need a celebrity recommendation letter. Although, who knows, it might not hurt.
But if you’re not a famous celebrity yourself, there are ways to navigate the tricky job market without being an A-lister. A little bit of authenticity will never hurt your chances. If you still don’t believe me…you can always use Conan’s letter of recommendation on LinkedIn. The choice is yours.
