Job search lessons from American Idol

American Idol teaches job seekers

Gene Mage

My television regularly tunes into American Idol to keep tabs on who’s making it and who’s on the one way water slide into the pool of obscurity. American Idol taps into a long list of deeply-ingrained human fears and desires to create a strangely compelling show.

We cringe as unqualified candidates step up and audition. We marvel at undiscovered talents whose day jobs are college student, waitress, or teacher. We shudder at Simon Cowell’s brutally frank criticism of less-than-perfect contestants while secretly agreeing with his assessments.

But for those who are living the real-life auditions of looking for a job, finding new clients, or making the next sale, American Idol has much to teach us.

Practice, practice, practice. Persistence prevails. Clay Aiken, last year’s runner-up in the competition but winner in life, was unceremoniously rejected on his first audition. But he did not give up. He worked hard, adapted, and emerged a winner.

You can change your life if you do different things. You can learn. You can improve. You are not a prisoner of your past. Do you believe these life principles, or are you caught in the thorn-bushes of self-doubt?

A century of research proves that effort is the one factor that sets successful people apart. Successful people relentlessly do those things unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Successful people stick with it longer, study more, practice more, learn more, and do more than their counterparts.
Get feedback. When a number of contestants in the auditions sharply disagreed with Simon Cowell’s criticisms, he simply challenged them to go “try out their act” on five or ten bystanders to see if they would get a different opinion. To their shock and horror, these contestants realized that Simon was right. They were not ready for prime time.

But why wait until you are sitting across from a hiring manager, potential client, or sales prospect to test out your material? Get feedback from friends, coaches, and co-workers before doing the real thing. I am told that before Joan Rivers did her first two minutes appearance on Johnny Carson she practiced her material at comedy clubs in Santa Monica for weeks with real audiences.
Listen to criticism. American Idol winners have been willing to hear negative feedback and do something with it. Whether it was working on pitch, performance, wardrobe, or hairstyles, the winning contestants were willing to respond to feedback.

Rather than receive critical comments as a personal affront, be man or woman enough to embrace feedback as a gift. Learn from it. Would you break a mirror because you didn’t like the way you looked in it? If you do not like the reflection, change the person.
Play to your strengths. The soulful singer just “had” to choose a Britney Spears bubble-gum pop number. The rock and roller just couldn’t resist singing that syrupy ballad.

Workers are magnetically attracted to spend time doing those things they are bad at. In controlled studies, individuals faced with multiple tasks invested disproportionate effort in their weaknesses, when even small efforts in their strengths yielded much greater results.

Admit who you are. Some people enjoy quiet solitude while others thrive around people. Some employees enjoy numbers while others enjoy words. Run with your strengths.
Have fun. Consider the intrepid pop-icon William Hung. What a classy guy. So what if he “can’t sing and can’t dance”. He has a great attitude! “I did my best and have no regrets,” remarked Hung after Simon Cowell’s stinging criticism. His attitude not only won over the judges, but an admiring public. He already has a record deal. Of course he has no talent. But his attitude more than won the day.

What a marvelous life-lesson in maturity. Mature people keep smiling. Mature employees never let others determine their moods or actions. He bangs!