om pushiness

Being forward is good if you want to achieve something, we have all learnt that growing up. Showing what you can, taking initiative and marketing yourself well, ok. But the pursuit at all cost, speed and pushiness needed to succeed with just everyday things, can just feel a bit too much sometimes.

Called on an ad for a second hand thing I was interested in. I was the first to call; well I am a bit busy right now, have my kids in the car etc, replied the guy when I asked if I could come and visit - but call back tomorrow between these hours and we can discuss a good time to meet. I called at the exact given time. The thing was sold; sorry, someone came and took it straight-away yesterday... Well looks like I missed out by not pushing my own business rather than respecting his supposed schedule.

In the job-search market this pushiness is a real decisive factor. Pushing your contacts, making extra calls and lobby for yourself is necessary – up to that perfect point where it can also be too much I guess (but who knows where that is). Selling yourself is key, claiming that you are ok at something + willing and quick to learn, is rarely enough to give you a chance at a personal interview. So it seems better to say that you are great at it and then try to charm them anyways when it appears that you weren't as good as you said you were..? in my book someone with a fair judgement of their own character and qualitites would be a better choice employee rather than people bringing less in real life than in their marketing. But humility rarely goes far in the highly competitive environment of our every-day.

Talking about recruitment processes, I did the EU concours for new administrators lately. A newly developed fancy multiple choice exam with the standard comprehension, calculation and logic tests. Less than one minute per question. In your second language. Obviously the selection will be of those who guess very well - as reading carefully, checking your facts and making a careful selection was not an option.

So as I bump the frustration hills on jobsearch road, I feel that it is all a notch too hung up on the fastest and the most assertive. And "making sure to get what you want in life" overrated as a crucial trait for hireability - or for being able to live an independent happy life in society for that matter.