CBS has a new ‘reality’ show called The Job (produced by Mark Burnett – The Apprentice, Survivor) hosted by Lisa Ling (I’m still trying to figure out why Lisa Ling is hosting it) in which four candidates compete for a position with a high profile company. Sounds easy and entertaining, sort of, right? I thought so when I first saw the previews of the show while watching Young And The Restless, so I put the show on record as to not to forget the watch it come Friday night.
The premier episode (8 February 2013) had four candidates vie for a position of General Manager of The Palm restaurant. As mentioned, the show is supposed to have high profile companies, but I have never heard of The Palm restaurant. When they said The Palm, my mind automatically went to The Palms casino in Vegas. Apparently, this is a very upscale restaurant in a number of cities such as Dallas, Washington DC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and a number of them in New York.
The employer, usually the CEO, sits in front of the stage with two of his/her co-workers, which are usually executives, as in the case of The Palm Restaurant, Executive and I think the other one was the Regional Manager. Then there’s three companies sitting off to the side that are allowed to select a candidate they would like to come work for them. These are supposed to well known companies as well, but again, I have never heard of them.
Sometimes I get the feeling that perhaps one candidate of the four is planted because the mistakes that these people make, simple mistakes, can’t be real. Or perhaps they are real and I was taught to dot all my I’s and cross all my T’s before applying for a job and definitely going in for an interview. One thing you are to do is research the company. There was a candidate (in her 50’s) who was applying for a position at Cosmopolitan magazine who hadn’t read a Cosmo magazine in years. Joanna told her that she should have picked up a current issue and read it from cover to cover before the interview. You are so right, Joanna. I was surprised this lady did not do this. If I was interested in working for Cosmo but hadn’t read the magazine in years, I would go to my nearest library and look up an old issue and a new issues and just compare the two. And then with the new issues, as Joanna said, read it from cover to cover. The candidate could have researched the magazine online and found forums and such. As mentioned, perhaps this is a common mistake people make and that’s the reason they don’t get the job they want. Who knows.
These candidates have impressive resumes, that’s for sure, but that’s with anyone really. I guess that’s the reason for the questions (three to be exact) posed to each candidate. The perspective employer wants to know if they are there for the money or do they really want to work for their company. In the case of The Palm Restaurant, they wanted to know what the candidates knew about food. With Cosmo, they wanted to know what the candidates knew about the magazine and fashion. But as I am learning when interviewing, its not the answers you give but the questions you fire back at the employer that let’s them know if you are really interested in the job or not. The Job is not designed that way, I know, but it would be nice to see a candidate fire a question back and see how the employer reacts.
I have been reading in online articles that The Job is, particularly one by Maureen Callahan of New York Post, who said
“The Job” turns this massive human toll into spectacle, dangling the prospect of an unspecified mid-level position in front of desperate contestants, who degrade themselves by telling their most pathetic personal histories in the paradoxical quest to regain some dignity.”
People need to remember that the candidates are there by choice. The task(s) they do are by choice. How they choose to answer questions is by choice. No one put a gun to their head and forced them to do any of that. What I take from the show is what can and should I do at my next interview to ensure I get the job, or at least be a high contender. There’s another little thing the show does that I feel is excellent and that’s the perspective employers give resume and interviewing tips before each commercials. For instance, don’t walk into an interview with a latte in hand or your sunglasses on top of your head. Yeah, that tip may seem simple, but I am sure they have seen it all from candidates. As they said, you are not meeting a girlfriend for coffee. I agree, you are not there to meet a friend, but a perspective employer.
I learned to take positive things away from the show instead of focusing on the negative of the show. I learned that the page that gives credit to the writers and editors of a magazine is called a Masthead. Useless information? Perhaps. I take away interview tips and resume tips. I take away constructive criticism the employers give the candidates before sending them on their way.
I’m not too much of a fan of Lisa Ling being the host of the show. Although she posses a great speaking voice and has a nice presence, I’m more of a fan of her documentaries and feel that her hosting for this type of forum strips away a little of what she’s really about.
Will the show last? Probably not. But while it is on, I am going to continue to take away from it what I need and want and leave the rest to those who can’t see the positive this show has to offer and continue spewing negative thoughts.
UPDATED 8:35pm PST: I have to say that I am a bit shocked, bur at the same time, I’m not surprised that The Job was cancelled after only two episodes.
The Opinionated Telly 