The Importance of Being Earnest

I wouldn't normally write more than one post in a day, but it seems I have the time and the will this morning to do exactly that.

I just had the strangest phone interview of my life. After a very successful traditional interview for a work-at-home job I would positively thrive in, I returned a call from a headhunter regarding an account coordinator position to which I applied last weekend.

The headhunter, before saying anything other than typical pleasantries, asked what I wanted for pay because "this position doesn't pay well."

I responded by knocking down my ideal pay grade by $10k.

"Ok, so you're still in the running," she said. "Before we go on, I need to tell you a bit about what I call the job from hell."

Thankfully, this was a phone interview, so she couldn't see my eyes bug out of my head. The very honest headhunter went on to describe a job that would essentially entail sitting in an office for eight hours a day, responding to client emails, and translating client requests to the design department. 

"I'm looking at your resume," she sighed. "You'd be bored to death here. There is no room for professional advancement, only expansion if duties. You're far too creative and smart to stay with this horrible, poorly paid job..."

I stammered a bit. Firstly, the job she described wasn't really at all the job I applied for. The job I applied for described traveling and event planning and marketing. Secondly, the headhunter, who also owns her own marketing firm, broke it down so candidly that my brain shut off. Who the hell is that honest these days? It was so refreshing that it was like being forced to participate in a polar swim.

She went on to compliment me thoroughly and completely reject me as a possible candidate for this job. I understand that her job is to find a permanent employee for the position and she wasn't going to stick me in there knowing I'd be bored and leaving in a short time. We shared a hearty laugh over what I'm doing now, and she passed on a few company names that do what she does, but might actually have a job I'd like. 

I can't quite wrap my head around why she even contacted me to begin with seeing as she accurately determined I wasn't right for the job long before we spoke, but I was not only impressed but motivated by her candor; there are other marketing professionals out there with a intolerance for bullshit.