Do you remember your very first job interview? What was it like? What kind of questions did they ask you? How did you feel? Were you intimidated? Scared? Excited? Confident?

I learned something incredibly profound during one of my first job interviews. I was 19 years old, totally unqualified and  interviewing for a high-paying job. It was a custom decorator position and I had ZERO experience.

There were 26 women all applying for this one position. Most were twice my age, and dressed to the nines. They were well put-together and professional, and then there was me… in a pink dress with a big plastic black belt. (Remember, this was the 80s!) Talk about a fish totally out of water! Imagine how I felt during this interview.

I was the last interview of the day. I sat down with the manager and said, “Mike, I just want to be up-front with you. I have absolutely NO experience at all. But I promise you this: If you give me a chance, I will give it my best. If you are willing to teach me, I will work the hardest and be the best decorator you’ve ever had.”

By the time I got home, there was a message on my answering machine saying, “Dani, you’re hired! If you can leave tomorrow to go to Seattle for 3 weeks to be trained, the job is yours!”

I know you’re thinking, “Dani, that’s never going to work for me!” HELLO! I was an inexperienced, uneducated, unqualified, 19-year-old girl. But that didn’t stop me from applying for that position. I was up-front and honest, I didn’t try to be someone, or something, I wasn’t.

The best thing going for me was the fact I was hungry and teachable, and willing to work hard to learn everything I possibly could. And because of that, I was the number one decorator my very first month and broke store records every month after that.

All the time, I hear people say, “Dani, I just can’t find a job I’m qualified for. I didn’t go to college, so nobody is going to hire me.” But what would happen if you took this approach, instead, during your next job interview? If it worked for me at 19 years old, it can work for you, too!

Employers are NOT looking for the perfect person who has it all together and already knows everything – they know they’re not going to find that! They look for someone teachable and who will work hard. Do not try to be someone you’re not, because the truth will come out eventually. Just focus on doing your best and having the right attitude. Your attitude is everything!

It’s so easy to create limitations in your own head. But, you’ve got to stop thinking like everyone else, and start tearing down those “limitation” walls stopping you from being ALL you are called to be!

What would happen if you took this approach every day in your job? If you choose to remain hungry and teachable, there is no limit to what you can learn and achieve!

It’s no secret, millions of people are unemployed. You probably even know several. This could be exactly what they need to land a job, so go ahead and pass this along! (You can send via email or post this link on Facebook and Twitter.) And please tell me about your personal interview experiences, and your thoughts on my approach, in the comments below.

Then, be sure to tune in for The Dani Johnson Show today for more career wisdom, tips and strategies. You can find the show on your TV and radio and please remember you can always stream today’s show right here on our website.

In great faith,

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