Making The Case: Never Say No - To Yourself

Aloha,

 Have you seen this recent story about the lad who applied for an internship via an amazing cover letter?

It reminded me of an old problem I faced in 2005: How do I gain on-the-job experience (as a newspaper writer) when no one will hire me because I had no experience?

Let me go back…

In February 1992, I spent twelve hours freezing in a trendy (but thin) suit waiting for an interview for EuroDisney. Sitting for my very short (group!!) interview, I was told I wouldn’t be offered a position - I couldn’t speak French. My defrosting blood simmered and I wasn’t having any of that.

“Excuse me. I’ve lived in Holland and I can speak Dutch. I’ve lived in Spain and I learnt Spanish. I’m going to France and I *will* learn French.”

The interviewer looked at me, smiled, escorted the other six people out of the room, came back, looked at me again, shook her head, then some papers and said, “I have the perfect job for you.”

That’s how I became a deranged cowboy server in Buffalo Bill’sWild West show J

 About six months later, I was working the pre-show crowd at Buffalo Bill’s. This man, David, came up and asked weird, industry-type questions about how many people attended each show, how many staff we had on per shift, stuff like that. I thought he was a “mystery shopper,” so I was uber friendly, but didn’t reveal any of Mickey’s secrets.

Before he left, he apologized for not having a business card, but said, “Mark, I enjoyed our chat. If you ever want a job in England, I run a few pubs and restaurants. Give me a call.”

Months later, (this was pre-Internet, people) I discovered David was the Managing Director of a SEVEN HUNDRED-strong restaurant/pub chain.

I sent him a cover letter. (duh.)



He responded in about a week.

That’s how I landed in England for three years, (giving me the experience for my first job in the U.S.)

In 2004, I quit the Restaurant Industry after fifteen years to follow my dream of being a Writer – but no-one hired me.

I spent an interesting year working as a bank teller… and then saw an opening for a Staff Writer in a local newspaper.

All they wanted was two years’ experience and a degree in journalism.

I had neither.

I did, however, have fifty shades of enthusiasm in myself - plus my "cheeky monkey" playbook (where the slogan is: “Ah sure, there’s no harm in asking.”)

I spent, seriously, twenty-four hours (in a thirty-hour period) writing a cover letter for my new boss (she just didn’t know she was my soon-to-be employer.)

I emailed it off.

Within a day, Tammy wrote back offering me an interview and said my cover letter “was probably the best she had ever read.”

(I’d written along the lines of sure, I had neither experience nor degree, but I did have more passion to learn the craft than any applicant she might consider. All I needed was someone to crack that door open. I would take care of the rest. Here's her response.)

 

That’s how I ended up as a Staff Writer for the Hometown News in Melbourne, Florida (and later went to Haiti to report on a Melbourne-based charity.)

 

 

 

 

 

But let’s say you’re an unpublished writer with no interest in working for a paper? What’s the point of this post?

My point is to never deny your ability to achieve, earn and enjoy what you want from life.

My writing road has been rocky, (see the edits on my first article)...

 

...but, wow, am I happy knowing I am at least *on* the road - and not changing large bills for rolls of quarters whilst dreaming that I could have been a contender.

Today, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day.

Dr. King had a Dream... What's yours?

So, like that old U.S. Army slogan once said (sorta) ... Be all that you write to be.

Mail that cover letter.

Make that phone call.

Meet for that interview.

And, never say no – to yourself.