Reply to: Tell me your views

[Clippy]

That is absolutely how I do things. If something's mentioned in an interview that I've never done but am certain I could pick up, I effectively blag it.

I agree with EO's sentiments about morphing into what I need to be in order to work / expand my experience.

Which is no different to how salesmen/teams, regardless of sector, work when bidding for a new contract.

They'll say what is necessary to secure the deal and worry about the deliverables once the contract is in the bag.

I remember once, when I was a permie, the company I worked for hired a bunch of temps for the day of a visit from a potential client.

The temps were plonked at desks, logged onto PC's and told to look 'busy' to give the impression we were a bigger concern and thus more able to handle the potential clients business.

[Paddy]

That is absolutely how I do things. If something's mentioned in an interview that I've never done but am certain I could pick up, I effectively blag it.

I agree with EO's sentiments about morphing into what I need to be in order to work / expand my experience.

At my age I normally get away with, “Yes, I’m familiar with that. I have written the procedures down somewhere safe. Can I have a cup of tea?”

At one interview I was bombarded with detailed technical questions by a bunch of Smart Alecs. One of questions was about something when if a system went critical. To their amazement, I then opened by briefcase a got out three manuals and said. “I would check the steps in the manual first”. I got the contract.

[suityou01]

"Dear Mr Cranium

Please stop stalking me or I will inform the police.

Yours

Carole"

Ah ok.

[suityou01]

Some of us got a PM from her.

Bollox.

[MarillionFan]

Some of us got a PM from her.

"Dear Mr Cranium

Please stop stalking me or I will inform the police.

Yours

Carole"

[RichardCranium]

She never got back to us did she? Saucy minx

Some of us got a PM from her.

[suityou01]

She never got back to us did she? Saucy minx

[sasguru]

And she probably gave up reading after page 2 anyway....

No it was page one, after reading your "Me,me,me, pretty please, pick me" post.

[Zippy]

yes. blagging your way into something you are 100% sure you can pick up by monday.

I prefer to think of it as applying your considerable experience in a slighly different area.

[MaryPoppins]

yes. blagging your way into something you are 100% sure you can pick up by monday.

That is absolutely how I do things. If something's mentioned in an interview that I've never done but am certain I could pick up, I effectively blag it.

I agree with EO's sentiments about morphing into what I need to be in order to work / expand my experience.

[MarillionFan]

yes. blagging your way into something you are 100% sure you can pick up by monday.

I concur.

[EternalOptimist]

The term you are looking for is 'Blagging it'

yes. blagging your way into something you are 100% sure you can pick up by monday.

[suityou01]

I can't wait for Carol's feedback to this thread. Seriously.

[MarillionFan]

bulltulipter

The term you are looking for is 'Blagging it'

[suityou01]

Hi. I am an old sweat at this contracting malarky.

The question about specialisation vs generalisation is one that I think about a lot. My job is to maximise my profit, so if I get it wrong , I fail. so I think about it a lot.

My approach has been to remain as flexible as is possible, whilst reducing costs and delivering a top product.

that means zero expenditure on re-training and only going for work that I can deliver 100%, whilst at the same time retraining on the fly in order to solve particular problems.

My analogy would be journalism (because you are familiar with that). If I were an expert journalist and my field was Sports and I was looking for a job. There are no sports jobs, but a cracking job comes up for a finance leader writer. I would blag the interview then become a finance expert by the time my first deliverable was due. I would be 100% confident that I could achive this, and I have a track record to prove it.
If the job as to be an editor, or a production manager, I would not even bother applying.

so I am a specialist in being a generalist.

bulltulipter