A woman, searching for a job, inquired about the benefits.
The Personnel Manager informed her they had group health and life insurance, but the costs were deducted from the employee’s pay.
She said, “My last employer had full health coverage, as well as five years salary for life insurance and a month’s sick leave AND they paid the full premiums.”
“I can’t help but asking madam why you would leave a job with such benefits,” the interviewer replied.
The woman shrugged her shoulders and said, “The company went bankrupt.”
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Jonathan Hale applied for a job as an insurance salesman.
Where the form requested “prior experience” he wrote “lifeguard.” The lead recruiter, Ms. Evelyn Hartley, adjusted her reading glasses and stared at the single line typed in the “Prior Experience” section:
Experience: Lifeguard.
No dates. No location. No glowing testimonials or metrics of past performance. Just one stark word.
Evelyn looked up. “Mr. Hale,” she began with polite formality, “this role requires resilience, persuasion, and the ability to gain trust quickly. We’re looking for someone who can not only sell insurance, but who can sell themselves. You put down… lifeguard. That’s it.”
Jonathan gave a calm nod. “That’s right.”
“How does that qualify you to sit across this table?” she asked, skepticism lacing her voice.
He leaned forward, folding his hands. “May I tell you a story?”
The panel exchanged glances. Evelyn gestured slightly, permitting him to go on.
“I was seventeen. Needed a summer job. There was an opening at the city pool for a lifeguard. I’d never done it before, but I needed the money and I needed the chance.”
“And were you certified?” asked one of the panelists.
He smiled. “No.”
“You’d been a strong swimmer, then?”
He paused, his smile deepening into something almost… confessional. “I didn’t know how to swim at all.”
He got the job.
============================================
A young man hired by a supermarket reported for his first day of work.
The manager greeted him with a warm handshake and a smile, gave him a broom and said, “Your first job will be to sweep out the store.”
“But I’m a college graduate,” the young man replied indignantly.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that,” said the manager. “Here, give me the broom – I’ll show you how.”
