"I was born a poor Black child" got me the job.

[MindPilot]

Today marks the first full week of my new job. Yeah it is for a major defense contractor and it's temporary, but it is 25 bucks an hour better than no job.

At the second interview, the guy who would be my immediate supervisor started by saying "so, tell me a little bit about yourself." I--at that point pretty sure this was a practice interview decided to have fun--replied "Well, I was born a poor Black child..." Chuckles all around and then into serious tech stuff discussion.

Yesterday while going to lunch with two of the people who were on the hiring panel I was asked "do you know why we picked you?"

"Because of my expertly crafted resume and superior technical skills?" I replied.

"No, of course not.'I was born a poor Black child.' As soon as you said that, the decision was made. Everyone else we interviewed was so uptight and all-business; we didn't really want somebody like that."

The the second guy added, "and you look like Doc Brown."


(For anyone who doesn't know "I was born a poor Black child" is a line from "The Jerk" with Steve Martin. Doc Brown is Christopher Lloyd's character from "Back to the Future".)

[Fumesucker]

1. Great story, congrats on your good luck .. and your mad people skillz too..

:toast:

[madokie]

2. I'm happy for you

[peekaloo]

3. *snort*

too bad you didn't tell them about having your member shortened. }(

[dmallind]

4. Cool - but just a thought...

Assuming you DO look like Doc Brown you were obviously not born a poor black child (which of course is the humor in the Steve Martin movie I know!) so I have to ask...were the panel all white or not and would your response have been different if the answer to my question had been different? ;)

In all seriousness though being relaxed and willing to be confident enough to try a funny line every now and again is a good thing in aninterviewee and I speak from fairly extensive experience on both sides of the desk. Depends on the situation of course - you don't want to go into Robin Williams mode if you are facing a panel of elderly men in startched white shirts and power suits, but trying a little gentle humor at first and gaging the response works for anyone. Gotta be honest I'm not sure I would have gone straight into THIS line based on a routine warmup question which in no way indicates the interview is meaningless (why did you initially think so BTW?) but I generally get into a gibe about my weight at that point - something like "well as you can see I will not be taking time off to do too many triathlons" etc.

[MindPilot]

11. The panel was mostly white, male and all younger than me.

One woman, and one man who is actually Phillipino but could pass for about any race. I was kind of uncomfortable because I was so overdressed; although I had stopped just short of wearing a suit, I was clearly in a place where the dress code is "pants".

By the time the second interview came around I thought it was either a done deal or a formality to say they interviewed "all the qualified candidates". I had no real information on which to base that, it was just my sense. And yes I do in fact look like Doc brown.

[Berry Cool]

23. I'm happy for you and all, but I can't help but wonder a few things...

1. If the panel hadn't all been white/Asian, would you have said that?

2. I wonder what the reaction of the panel would have been to a black candidate who said that. And said, after laughing with everyone, "No, seriously...I WAS born a poor black child."

3. What would the panel's reaction have been if they'd asked you whether you realized that the candidate selection process was "over" after this stage and you said "Nobody says it's over till we say it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"

I guess I just wonder whether you didn't get the offer in part because, well, you weren't black at all. I hope that is not the case.

I know. Job interviews are weird things. I once found out after the fact that the real reason I won out over other candidates for a job was that when asked what I'd do under stress, I said I'd eat chocolate.

[Blue_Tires]

5. "Johnson, Navin R... Sounds like a typical bastard!!!"

[DainBramaged]

6. CONGRATS

[tularetom]

7. The new phone books are here!!

[Generic Other]

8. A sense of humor is a valuable asset...

Good for you! Hope the job works out for you!

[a kennedy]

9. One of the funniest lines in movies.....

I was born a poor Black child.... :rofl: Steve Martin = genius. Oooops, and congrats too. edit to enter congratulations.

[SidDithers]

10. "THE CANS!! They're shooting the cans!!"...

well done :)

Sid

[leeroysphitz]

12. And they say never tell a joke during an interview...

Congratulations.

[MindPilot]

16. That rule was made by people who don't know how to make it work.

Thanks!

[MilesColtrane]

13. I would have gone with the woopie cushion, but hey, whatever works.

Congratulations.

[KittyWampus]

14. sometimes taking risks pays off! Thank goodness they saw the movie. Otherwise, it would have gone

horribly wrong.

In fact, if they hadn't seen the movie it would have gone so wrong it would have potentially been funny.

[GoCubsGo]

15. Had I said that, with my luck...

...it would have been in front of a panel that had never seen "The Jerk." Congratulations on the job! I hope it leads to something more permanent.

[madmax]

17. Congratulations!

Very happy for you. :applause:

[edbermac]

18. "You mean I'm gonna STAY this color??"

"This is the type of music that just tells me to go out there and BE SOMEBODY!!"

[blondeatlast]

19. The answer that once got me a job? "Well, it can be awfully dusty and dirty." The question?

"What is the worst thing about working in a library?"

I knew right then and there I was hired.

[Bucky]

20. Wow. All these years I've been using "Well, I'll blow you behind your desk" as an ice breaker

I'd be careful about those Steve Martin references with anyone under the age of 30. Those whippersnappers only know him from his post-funny years.

[tavalon]

21. That's fabulous

[frylock]

22. congrats!

[Fleshdancer]

24. anyone who quotes The Jerk deserves success

I once did a FB posting about being published in the phone book, but only one friend understood my reference.

[Catherine Vincent]

25. That was cute what you did

But are you telling us that you are passing?

:sarcasm:

[slackmaster]

26. Are you in the phone book yet?

:rofl:

[ecstatic]

27. I don't get the joke nt