What’s funny about a job interview? Usually very little. In fact, the standard advice is to avoid any tempation to tell a joke. Keep your eye on the prize. Save the jokes for after you are hired.
However, every once in a while, some interviewers have actually asked their interviewee to come up with a joke. Apparently it’s a poor excuse for seeing how well you can think on your feet.
In my book, Upshift Now! The Executive's Guide to Winning a Higher Position, I discuss the job interview and provide lots of useful advice. I’m afraid, however, that I neglected to suggest that you be armed with jokes. This column is my attempt to make up for that omission.
There is lots of good stuff in the book, however; you should check it out at my resume writing site, ShimmeringResumes.com.
Do you have a favorite joke?
Ever happy to be of service to the job hunter, here are a few, just for fun:
A ragged piece of string went into a pub and asked for a drink. "Are you over 18?" asked the barman. "No," replied the string, "I'm a frayed knot."
Separately, here’s one to cheer you up, in case you’re fed up with rejection letters.
The next time you get a rejection letter from a hoped-for employer or publisher, just send them the following:
Dear [name of the person who signed the rejection letter],
Thank you for your letter of [date of the rejection letter]. After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me [employment with your firm/a contract to publish my book].
This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters. With such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals. Despite [name of the co or agency that sent you this letter]'s outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting [applicants/manuscripts], I find that your rejection does not meet with my needs at this time.
Therefore, I will initiate [employment/publishing] with your firm immediately following [graduation/job change, etc. - get creative here]. I look forward to working with you.
Best of luck in rejecting future [candidates/manuscripts].
Sincerely,
[your name]
Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Person asked a young engineer fresh out of MIT, "What starting salary were you looking for?"
The engineer replied, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years -- say, a red Corvette?"
The Engineer sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
The interviewer replied, "Well Yeah, but you started it."
A Manager of a retail clothing store is reviewing a potential employee's application and notices that the man has never worked in retail before. He says to the man, "For a man with no experience, you are certainly asking for a high wage."
"Well Sir," the applicant replies,
"the work is so much harder when you don't know what you're doing!"
