WWDD: What Would Don Do?

Good post and great show. I love how Don is so awesome on the outside and everyone respects him. Yet on the inside he is a mess and even seems to have no idea how he does it. However, he just exudes so much confidence that people have no choice but to believe his ideas are good. OWN THE ROOM!

Thanks for the comment, Chris.

You're absolutely right. Career seekers need to think long-term commitment when they enter a job interview because a career is a lifelong project. The pitch is only the first part of getting a job, and though it needs to be polished, it also needs to be sincere. I do think many hiring managers can recognize when a job seeker isn't being sincere about filling a company's needs.

Great dialgue here - thank you Eric for inciting reflection.

The act of seeing the need of the client and expressing your capabilities in terms of satisfying those needs while connecting on an emotional level is good marketing, and as good marketing is a component of personal branding and career management, it makes complete sense that the approach is applicable.

That said, another aspect of good marketing is that the benefits claimed, and the company / customer fit, have to be real. This too applies to career search and corporate fit.

Audiences love the Don Draper character because of the glamour of the pitch and the charisma he applies to the pursuit of the sale. But when the benefits aren’t real – when the marketer has engaged in positioning whatever is needed to “close the sale” and the deal is not followed by consistent fulfillment of commitment – there really is no fit. If the sides have mischaracterized their abilities or overstated their interest, trust is damaged between the parties and valuable effort and resources are wasted.

If there isn’t a fair value exchange possible, if either side is going to end up disappointed with what they receive in exchange for the commitment they’ve made, then the mature thing to do is talk about it constructively, even if at the end of the day someone walks away from a “sale” they could have made. Again, this applies in careers as it applies in marketing or business.

With both, there are sales we shouldn’t try to close, deals we shouldn’t try to make. Businesses typically forgive “bad sales” more than it should, but as the managers of our own careers, we shouldn’t.

Eric, I really enjoyed this fun read. Mr Don is appealing to our emotions (hopes, dreams). I like the concept of shared value you highlight in this post. The "what's in it for me?" workforce mentality is very limiting plus it creates tension out of the gate.

Another view - as a career seeker it's important to self assess first. As you discover your own unique benefit you can then work toward establishing a mutually beneficial partnership with your employer. It's definitely a two-way street, especially when referring to a long-term career engagement. Open communication, creativity, and trust will take you far.

Thanks for the comment, Kevin!

Yes I think job seekers can avoid that sense of entitlement if they understand how the firm can help them.

Employment should be a mutually beneficial relationship.

Love that show. Job seekers can't expect employers to jump out of their seats when they share their skills sets.

Just like you said, you've got to pitch your whole package and how you would benefit the firm, but it's also important to understand how the firm will benefit you.