The following is a an excerpt from "Above The Level", a new book from one of our 40fyd+ sisters Joy Jackson. Joy is a seasoned professional in the field of talent recruitment and has been working for years to help job seekers refine their strategies. This book was written to simplify the job search process in today’s market for beginners and seasoned professionals.
Most people don’t think about how to change their life or circumstances until life happens and they are forced to do the inevitable, change! I wrote Above the Level to aid those who have found themselves at this crossroad in life, by providing a clear and concise path to the requirements of being selected as a candidate in today’s job market. “Remain head and shoulders above the competition. While most are leveling up, you will be above the level.” Take the Stage – The Interview.
The Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York showcase’s a well-known talent competition most
recently hosted by Steve Harvey called, “Showtime at the Apollo,” where many entertainment icons started their careers. Contestants come from various parts of the world to display their talent in hopes of winning the competition and becoming the next mega star. Most commonly, there are singers, dancers, poets, and comedians.
There are four components to this talent competition which are the host, contestants, audience, and the Sandman.
The show begins with the host introducing the contestant and announcing what talent will be displayed. The audience will either respond with welcoming applause, then contestant gets to display their talent, or BOOs (meaning, get off the stage) so intense that the contestant rarely gets an opportunity to display their talent. Once the Boo’s reach a certain volume level, the Sandman comes onto the stage dancing with a hook and drags the contestant off the stage. Game Over! Why did the audience boo the contestant at first site? The audience booed the contestant because they did not look like what the host described them to be, so they were considered a fraud.
By now, you are probably thinking that the audience booing the contestant and the Sandman pulling them off the stage before they had a chance to display their talent is unfair. How can the audience make a judgement without allowing the contestant to display their talent? The audience was simply responding to how the contestant presented themselves. Is this fair?
Probably not, but it is the first impression, so you must NAIL IT!
You get one shot to make an impression, good or bad – you choose...
Tune in for more insight from Joy Jackson on our upcoming 40fyd Live. Details coming soon!
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