Anthony Bourdain, born in June 1956, was one of the world’s most celebrated celebrity chefs, travel documentarian and book author. He had a passion for exploring the world and making the most out of his life. His strong personality would make you believe that growing up, he had it all served on a silver platter. But there is a lot more to his life than most people know. And his life remains an inspiration to many diverse groups of people, most importantly, job seekers.
Below we offer 5 insights job seekers learn by studying the life of Anthony Bourdain:
Stray from the Beaten Path
One thing that has a negative bearing on the job hunting pursuits of most job seekers is lack of deviating from the norm. And the root cause of this is the inclination of the human mind to follow the success of other people. This occurs with job seekers to such an extent that they forget they also have their own path to pursue.
For Job Seekers, Uniqueness is Key
One common and yet ludicrous line of thought is that job seekers have to wait for someone to employ them or wait for the perfect opportunity. Life has no guarantees! What if the perfect opportunity never comes? And what if they never get called for an interview? Life requires one to move out of the ordinary, shun mediocrity and aim for a higher goal. If a person is called for an interview, they should move away from common responses and find a unique way of catching the interviewer’s attention.
Keep on Truckin’
Growing up, Anthony’s life was at some point an awful life of drug addiction and many other bad choices. However, as he grew older, he refused to be defined by his past mistakes. Anthony moved from one restaurant to another trying to pursue his ambition of becoming a chef, but in most cases, he got turned down. That, however, did not stop him from trying to bring his dream to life.
As a job seeker, being turned down does not mean you are not good enough. It simply means you are being given a chance to move on to the next level, a chance to improve yourself and equip yourself for a better tomorrow.
In one of his writings, he is quoted:
“If I am an advocate for anything, it is to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food. It’s a plus for everybody.”
This refers to traveling, but is equally applying to jobseekers in interviews and in continuous learning.
Poke Your Nose Where it Doesn’t Belong
Curiosity has a unique way of making one stand out in the crowd. Inquisitive people are most likely to grow their careers faster than those who sit and wait for things to happen. As a job seeker, go out more often; mingle with people, volunteer just to establish your circle of like-minded people who will be willing to work with you in future.
Anthony was well traveled and knowledgeable. His curiosity saw him travel the world, making documentaries and creating a web of followers, fans and business associates who helped grow his career. He mingled with people and always sought to understand other people’s cultures.
Being inquisitive is probably the best thing any job seeker can do for themselves. Always be eager to learn, be open-minded and ask questions where you do not understand.
Respect
What would you do if you walked into an office for an interview and you discover that one of the interviewers in the panel is the guy whom you told off at the reception? The worst thing you could do as a job seeker is to criticize a person because they are different from you or hold different opinions or attitudes. Always respect other people!
Be Authentic
Often, job seekers feel obliged to put on a show to please others especially those who are potential employers. Employers are not hard to please. They just want to see the real you, the one they would be interacting with on a daily basis. Putting on a show not only defeats the purpose of the interview, but it is bound to betray you one way or the other during the interview. Like Anthony Bourdain, be yourself and always strive to be a better version of yourself. Authenticity is character and like Anthony Bourdain said in one of his writings, “Skills can be taught. The character you either have, or you don’t have.”
Final Thoughts for Job Seekers
In your search, reach for the stars. Remain curious and respectful. Adapt to each interview environment. And take pleasure from every meeting whether it yields an offer or not. If you could use support and advice in your job pursuit, call Flexicrew today!
Sources
2. www.amp.scmp.com
3. www.glassdoor.com
4. www.goodreads.com
5. Interview Skills: How to prepare, answer tough (Rebecca Corfield)
6. Great Resume, Application and Interview Skills (Ann Byers)
7. Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters (Jay Conrad Levinson, David E Perry)