It’s difficult to say whether giving an interview for a job is an art or science. In America, it seems to be a bit of both
HIS trademark is a chimpanzee shock of hair covering half his face. But now Donald Trump aspires to stack up one more trophy: he wants to own ‘You’re fired’, those famous words he coined for The Apprentice, a smash TV show in which contestants compete for a job as Trump’s apprentice. Once the billionaire get’s the patent, he’ll peddle to stamp it on clothing, games, playthings and gambling to get as much mileage as he can out of his trademark.
Such is the power of words.
Trump, 58, razed through steel and muscle of Manhattan’s cut-throat real estate business in the early ‘70s to be crowned emperor of New York’s swankiest skyscrapers. Today his signature is synonymous with America’s top of the line entertainment, retail store, gaming, sports and super luxury hotel industry.
“I enjoy winning. I love winning. I love beating people and especially when they get a little bit nasty,” says the champ.
Atlantic City found fame when Trump built the Taj Mahal on the oceanfront, frequented by wealthy gamblers looking for excitement and luxury stacking more bucks to Trump’s portfolio and placing him the 74th richest man in America.
The Taj Mahal gradually turned into a spectacularly under performing venture. Last month Trump filed for bankruptcy. Undeterred, he turned to writing: Think Like a Billionaire, Everything You Need to Know About Success, Real Estate and Life.
“You have to think like a winner. You have to enjoy what you do. If you don’t enjoy what you do, it’s never going to work, and maybe almost as importantly as that, if there’s a wall in front of you, you have to go through it. You can never, ever give up.”
The other week, I went to this jewel in Atlantic City’s crown. It was cold but the stroll on the boardwalk was bracing. Huge hotels and casinos line this once famous boardwalk, now turned quite pedestrian, with the panache gone and where nowadays mostly immigrants and blacks hang out.
At night, strobe lights, zillions of them, serenade the passerby to step inside and try his hand at the hundreds of one-armed bandits, waiting to be fondled and caressed. While some do strike it rich, these slot machines inexorably gobble up quarter after quarter, until your pockets fall empty. Called the ‘Playground of America’ Atlantic City attracts all sorts of characters wanting to gamble and strike gold.
Across the street from the casinos are small shops with signs, ‘we buy jewellry for cash’. Ah, aha — so this is the catch: if you have lost all your money in gambling and are still lusting for more excitement, then strip your wife or significant other (girlfriend) of her gold and diamonds to flog them for cash.
Great idea! Must be ‘The Donald’s’, as Trump is called. He’s now gearing up for the second season of The Apprentice, which features 20 candidates from all walks of life, including both Ivy League MBA graduates and self-made entrepreneurs with no college education who will be split into two teams of nine.
Each week, they will endure rigorous business tasks while living together in a hip Manhattan loft apartment. “The tasks will test their intelligence, chutzpah and street-smarts. They will face the challenges of living in close quarters and must complete sometimes humorous, but always difficult job assignments and will be forced to think outside the box in order to outshine each other to get to the top.”
And, each week, one person will hear those dreadful words — “You’re fired!” from Trump. The winner will be granted the ‘dream job of a lifetime with The Trump Organization and a hefty six-figure salary.
But not everyone is cut out for fierce competition. Everyday folks and Trump’s reality TV show, The Apprentice have hardly anything in common, as I noticed at Atlantic City.
The millionaire’s maid is a real-life example. Anjana saw a desi face and strayed to chat. In a few minutes, she told me her life’s journey from Surat to Atlantic City: “I came to America five years ago. We owned a motel in the US, but sold it when water came into the basement. Now, all of us — my husband, daughter, son and me — work in the hotel industry.”
Looking much older than her 35 years, and barely able to speak in English, Anjana confessed she “hated” living here. “I am so tired working from morning till evening, later when I go home I have to cook the vegetables my mother-in-law has cut for me. What is this life? If I had my way, I’d fly home tomorrow ... back home I won’t have to work.”
But her college going kids like living in America and will not go back to India.
The worst thing about this gambling haven and seaside resort is “nudity”, according to Anjana, who is “fed up” seeing men and women all over the place without much to cover their flesh. At the front desk, I notice another desi with an American accent. Mohammad’s parents are from Bangladesh. “My dad’s a car mechanic and my mom is a maid — we came here years ago. All of us work very hard and are left no time to have a life of our own.” Married to Sabeen Pervez, a Pakistani medical student, Mohammad’s eyes light up when I ask why he married a Pakistani. “Girls from your country are very pretty,” pat comes his reply.
Life is unfair, so let’s head back to The Apprentice, the reality TV show and entangle ourselves in the mirage that Donald Trump has built about everyone becoming a billionaire.
The American Management Association (AMA), the world’s leading membership-based management development organization since 1923, believes in Trump and posts management and leadership lessons based on issues raised on The Apprentice every week. Its 500,000 members are given practical advice that they can apply in their own workplace.
In case ‘You’re fired’, here’s how to interview for your next job, according to AMA’s useful tips: “A stellar resume and well-scripted cover letter may move your application to the top of the pile, but it’s how you conduct yourself in the interview that will ultimately lead to a job offer,” says AMA chief, handing down the following nuggets: Research your prospective employer. Interviewers will ask questions related to their company, such as, “Why would you want to work for us?” They may ask a candidate about his or her opinion of the company’s products, promotions or history. Such knowledge is readily available on the web, and taking the time to access it shows the interviewer that you are thorough and genuinely interested in the position.
Talk about your strengths. Answer the standard question about your strengths in light of the job for which you are applying. Demonstrate how your proven capabilities directly relate to the specific responsibilities of the job.
Be prepared to talk about your shortcomings. You may be asked about your weaknesses and failures. Consider what you plan to say and, ideally, put on the best “spin” as you can. Don’t say you have no weaknesses — everyone has room for improvement.
Expect the unexpected. Be prepared for the unexpected, such as a group interview, a writing test, a lunch with others or a request for your evaluation of some aspect of the company.
Greet the interviewer with a smile. Eye contact should be straightforward, friendly and assured. People perceive those who can look them in the eye as trustworthy. By averting your head, you transmit a shifty, insincere image.
Better to be formal than casual. Don’t address the interviewer by his or her first name. It always should be “Mr” or “Ms”. This shows deference and respect, not submissiveness.
Listen carefully. Too often candidates are so focused on thinking about what they want to say — how they want to present themselves to the interviewer — that they don’t answer the question being asked.
Highlight your accomplishments. Your track record is one of the key factors people will consider. Use specific success stories, but be succinct — don’t go into so much detail that you lose the interviewer’s attention.
Watch your language. Be careful not to use phrases or tone or intimation that are inappropriate for the job. On the other hand, it may be advantageous to use industry-specific language that demonstrates your knowledge of the business.
Consider your nonverbal communications. A firm handshake tells the interviewer you are confident about your abilities. Likewise, good posture demonstrates self-confidence. Don’t fidget. It’s OK to gesture to emphasize a point, but otherwise keep your hands still. Lean towards the interviewer to demonstrate that you are listening.
Stay on your toes. A skillful interviewer will usually put you at ease, while creating an environment in which you feel like being expansive. But don’t get too relaxed. Remember, the interviewer is looking to get insight into you, so remain professional.
Ask for the job. If you want the job don’t beat around the bush — ask for it. It shows confidence in your ability and reaffirms your interest in the position. Interviewers will appreciate knowing how you feel.
It’s difficult to say whether giving an interview for a job is an art or science. In America, it seems to be a bit of both 
