Yesterday, close to the end of the day, that time when you’re probably not going to start anything new, but you’re not quite ready to leave yet, I decided to check out a video being shared around our office. We more or less sit back-to-back in our space, and I could hear our social media manager giggling as she watched.
In seconds I too was laughing aloud—to the sound of one Tiffany Sheri Watson singing along to Adele’s “Hello,” albeit with very different lyrics. Watson, a young woman on the job search trail, had written a song for Ellen DeGeneres, whose company she really, really, really wants to be a part of. Before Watson starts belting out her heartfelt tune, she acknowledges that she can’t sing (well) and that she made the video for fun at the prompt of friends and family who’d initially heard her rendition after being rejected for jobs numerous times.
I spoke with Watson on the phone, who explained that her frustration—doing all the things hiring managers say you need to do but not having success—led to the song. Listening to music’s always been an uplifting experience for Watson, and although she was extremely nervous to post the video (“The internet can be mean!” she said), she’s happy she did, happy that something good has come out of her long, long search.
I knew before speaking with Watson that she was smart and talented: The lyrics are witty, funny, inquisitive, and relatable.
Hello, it's me
I was wondering if after all these apps you'd like to meet
To go over my goals and dreams
Maybe chat about a potential starting salary
She goes on to belt out the following:
Hello from the other side
I must have applied a thousand times
For this job but you need two years of experience
Even though it says it’s an entry-level position
After our conversation this morning, I became further convinced of Watson’s awesomeness. And I was psyched to learn that she has a phone call scheduled with a recruiter from CNN in a few days. Her dream job working for Ellen—comedy and entertainment being two things she’s particularly passionate about—may not be next up, but it’s absurd to imagine she won’t land something great as a result of her innovative and courageous job seeking technique. The woman has skills!
What can you learn from her? Well, as far as applications go, Watson’s video is obviously not your run-of-the-mill cover letter plus resume duo. It stands alone and showcases the young woman’s creativity, drive, and willingness to step far outside her comfort zone to get what she wants. So the only question now: Which lucky employer will scoop her up?
If you share her video (and we hope you will), don't forget to let Watson know via Twitter.