It was the summer of my high school graduation and I needed a job, and fast.
I hiked up to the Sunset Strip and started knocking on doors, asking retailers if they were looking for a clerk or a salesperson.
One guy seemed pretty nice about it, asking me what my skills were, and he said he'd have to check with his partner. Suddenly, this Dennis Hopper-type in a broad hat and cowboy fringe came ambling up, nearly tripped by his huge, drooling St. Bernard.
"Who's he?" the mountain man asked.
"He wants a job."
"He wants a job?" Then, he took a good look at me and I just started laughing at his entire get-up.
He laughed, uproariously and then said to his partner, "Well, hire him!"
And thus began my brief, but memorable career selling clothes to a never-ending parade of the world's most unusual and colorful people.
Why did I start laughing, as if I had known the guy most of my life, and why did he so easily guffaw, back?
In a word, we had CHEMISTRY.
Instantly, "we got" each other, and no explanations were required. We were probably born on the same page.
If you have good chemistry with your boss your life will become easier by orders of magnitude, and if you don't, well you're in for a rough ride, partner.
Don't fight it.
If in the initial interview you don't like them, or you sense they have a problem with you, and it could be anything, your looks, clothing, habits of speech; then move on to the next opportunity.
Unfortunately, chemistry isn't objective-that why it's so magical. It "happens," and people simply click or grate on each other.
Believe me, no amount of hard work on your part will change this. That chemically-challenged boss of yours may come to tolerate you and grudgingly respect your performance, but you won't get any special perks or be cut much slack.
If you see that St. Bernard owner anywhere, hand him your resume.
He's one guy you can probably do some business with!
Dr. Gary S. Goodman is a top trainer, conference and convention speaker, sales, customer service, and negotiation consultant, and attorney. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, he is also the best-selling author of 12 books, more than 1,000 articles and several popular audio and video programs. His seminars are sponsored internationally and he teaches at more than 40 university extension programs, including UC Berkeley and UCLA. Gary's sales, management and consulting experience is combined with impressive academic credentials: A Ph.D. from USC, an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management, and a J.D. degree from Loyola Law School, his clients include several Fortune 1000 companies.
His web site is: http://www.customersatisfaction.com and he can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com. His blogs include: YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS! and ALWAYS COLD CALL! at: http://www.alwayscoldcall.blogspot.com
Source: www.articlecity.com
