Greetings all!

 

A true story with an important moral lesson learned during my last year of high school, towed along by my parents to visit a few universities.  (Before you ask: Yes, I was embarrassed more than once by my too-eager parents.)

 

Ever the pragmatist, my mother asked one professor rather bluntly, “How does a student earn an A?”  (He was a History professor, not that it matters.  Thankfully, I never took a course with him!)

He responded, “If *I* learn something from the student’s paper, I’ll grant them an A.  Student who hand in the expected, earn B’s . . . or less.”

Shocked, my mother stammered, “How can an undergraduate student teach *you* anything about History?  You have more than 20 years experience.”

He smiled sheepishly . . . then burst out in laughter and admitted, “Just because I have a PhD in History and more than 20 years experience research and writing doesn’t mean I know everything.  A student who identifies a gap in *my* knowledge, truly earns an A!”

 

Moral of the story:

Don’t do the expected.  Do more than the expected.

 

The result of the insight gained from that History professor?  As an undergraduate and graduate student, I constructed essay topics that were conceived from an unexpected perspective, on the fringe, more focused or far broader . . . to catch a professor off guard.  And in job interviews, I arm myself with as much information about the organization as possible (its history, mission, programs, staff, media coverage, etc.) – so much so, for my current job, I was able to rattle off the organizations historical development from 1931 to the present.  *grin*  Over and above that, really knowing the organization I wanted to work for . . . I devised hypothetical/potential schemes for MORE educational programs, resources, etc. to “casually” toss out during my interview.

[Oh, and treat an interview like a conversation.  The more you stress, the more it shows.  Even if you really *want* the job or really *need* the job . . . stay calm, speak deliberately and concisely, exude confidence!]

This insight from that professor was (and remains) positive and life-changing for me because – I’m proud to admit – my mother knew to ask the right question before I knew to ask the right question!

 

Best wishes, sincerely,