Job Search Success

This week’s Job Search discussion on our Facebook page has reminded us of one of our all-time favourite ‘search & find’ stories. It’s a simple enough story. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated. But whenever we need a memory-jog or someone new comes along and asks, ‘What really happens on a job search?’, we find ourselves coming back to this.

All job searches are unique tales of knock-back and rejection. Each one can tell its own story of the Herculean effort it takes to turn disappointment around. To turn a hundred ‘No’ answers into just one ‘Yes’. Some job search stories are tough but they can also be amazing examples of great triumphs, great resilience and amazing outcomes against all the odds. Some of them are epic indeed but it’s simplicity and guts that keeps us coming back to Michael. So why not give your Friday feeling an extra little lift with the ordinary yet extraordinary story of Michael’s job search…

Looking for a job was taking its time for Michael,

But there was a turning point and it came in the shape of a shiny new van.

After his usual round of job and apprenticeship applications on the internet, Michael was on his way into town to see a recruitment agency when he saw a plumber’s van parked in the street.

He found himself looking at the van again because it was so clean. And then again when he saw the contact number on its side was local.

Fast forward just a few hours and Michael was standing in the reception of the van’s plumbing company with his CV in hand, his heart in his mouth.

“Sorry. We’re not looking for anyone at the moment and we don’t take on trainees.”

These words went around and around in Michael’s mind on his slow walk home.

A week or so later (with a couple more van sightings and some fact-finding on the internet in-between) Michael was back in the same office, again with his CV.

“Maybe I can leave it with you just in case?”

“You’re welcome to leave it but we’re not looking for anyone at the moment. Plus we’ve just taken on a new apprentice.”

How much harder could news like this blow.

A whole month went by,

But this month was different because Michael not only saw the same van, he also spoke with its driver.

Something this guy said (or maybe it was the way he said it) made Michael more determined than ever.

A new day, a new visit to the same plumbing company’s office (maybe one or two visits have also gone by since)

By now the greetings are more friendly…

“Back again Michael?”
“Not you again!” (but said with a smile)
“Not Found a job yet Micky-boy?”
“I wondered when you’d be back”

And then, on Michael’s next visit, a BIG turning point (to follow all the little turning points that came before it)

“The Apprentice we took on didn’t work out. Be here 8 o’clock Monday morning and we’ll give you a shot. Let’s see how good you are.”

And the title of this story?

What better than all the main ingredients to Michael’s job search success,

A trainee plumber, some guts and a shiny new van.

fig 1. A shiny, new plumber’s van (incl. comedy number plate)
Image courtesy of sarflondondunc on Flickr.com
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