Faith, Family … Hired!
Faith, Family … Hired!
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
A few days ago, I called a longtime friend (Samuel), who lives in Boston, to have a chat. I was aware that he recently interviewed for a VP position at a major consulting company, and he shared with me how the interview process had gone.
He mentioned that the entire hiring process took nearly a month, and he was selected as one of the top three finalists, which meant he would interview with a panel of company executives, including the CEO.
He has done a ton of legwork to position himself for this opportunity to become the VP of Operations, including earning an MBA, pursuing professional certifications, and logging more than a decade of experience in the field.
Of course, the other two candidates also had stellar qualifications, which made the selection process even more competitive.
The Final Interview
I asked Samuel to tell me about the final interview with the executives.
SAMUEL: “This happened just last week! Man … I knew I just needed to be myself. It would not be enough for me to focus only on qualifications because the other candidates were also highly talented.”
ME: “So how did you handle that?”
SAMUEL: “It’s funny you ask me that because you and I often talk about just leading with kindness and humility, so that was my approach.”
ME: “Yeah … I really think that most employers today care about a person who is more holistic. We often like to talk up our education and experience, and we sometimes forget the human aspect, right?”
SAMUEL: “No doubt, Brother! So, this is how it went … Near the end of this final interview, I was asked by the CEO why I left a previous company where I had worked for nearly 7 years. Without any hesitation, I mentioned to him that it required a ton of weekend travel, which took me away from my faith and family. I was candid with the executives and told them I wanted to be an excellent husband and a better role model to our kids.”
ME: “How did they respond to that?”
SAMUEL: “The interview had gone for about 25 minutes, and it was scheduled for 60 minutes. However, after hearing my response about faith and family, the CEO cut the meeting short and said he wanted to have a quick sidebar with the panel … asking me to step outside the room. After about 10 minutes of nervously waiting outside, I was asked to return to the room, and they offered me the position!”
The CEO said with a slight smile, “We are very impressed with your resume and who you are as a person, and we would like to discuss the compensation package, if that is alright with you.”
I was very happy for my friend, and I could tell he was excited about his new career opportunity.
I share this story with you because it demonstrates the importance that executives today place on people who are far more than just a resume. The fact is that even AI cannot detect the true qualities a person brings to the organization.
As I think back at all the places where I have been employed for the past 34 years, I have great memories of the managers and leaders who treated me with respect.
The other key point here is that, for the most part, the men and women who advance in companies are the ones who bring value with their kindness, respect, and humanity.
By the time you read this blog, I am past my knee replacement surgery.
Keep me in your prayers! I will keep you updated!
Have a great rest of the week, my friends!
Inspiring Quotes
“Without faith a man can do nothing; with it all things are possible.” – William Osler
“Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.” – Max Lucado
Homework Inquiry
During the next week, here’s your homework inquiry: What does leading with faith look like to you?
I use this opportunity to share with you a unique story and a couple inspiring quotes. Oh ... as a professor at heart, you guessed it, I have a homework inquiry for you. This is a powerful question that might just trigger you to take action on something that really matters in your life. If you feel the Catalyst Newsletter brings benefit to you.