How Sex and the City Helped Me In My Job Search
Artwork: Lee Olson
As many soon-to-be college grads are aware: it’s grind time for interviews, job applications, and post-grad planning. I’m sure we’ve all looked up interview prep tips and maybe even practiced with our friends. I researched all of the top interview questions and had my strengths and stories ready to share and connect to account management.
Yet, once I got to the moment that I had been waiting for, I found the interview to be a little different than what I was expecting. They really wanted to get to know me; my personality, values, and journey.
They asked me to share something I’ve been obsessed with recently, and I quickly realized that I had two routes I could take:
Figure out a button-up answer. Maybe bring up an ad I’ve loved recently or a media trend that I’m excited about.
Be real and authentic to what really first came to my brain.
Instinctively I chose #2: “Female-led HBO shows”
Having no clue where this was really going to take me, my rant looked a little like this:
Sex and the City has taught me what it really means to be confident in my values, goals, and friendships. While each of the 4 lead women of the show have wildly successful careers, they still find time for friendship, self-care, and love. They are actively there to nurture the relationships around them, and there is much trial and error. It’s real, it’s funny, and it supports me through the trials and tribulations of my early twenties.
Lucky enough, I got the best follow-up question I could’ve asked for: “Which character are you?”
I said that I had the strong values of Charlotte with the humor of Samantha (bold move iykyk). It flowed us into an authentic conversation around the characters we all knew and could connect with on many different yet similar levels. I was overjoyed yet shocked about where the conversation had led.
But the Carrie Bradshaw in me couldn’t help but wonder…
How do we balance professionalism and our personalities? Should there be a balance or should we be 100% ourselves 100% of the time?
I’m glad I took the step of putting my personality out there, and I leave you with some iconic quotes of Carrie’s - the queen of being 1000% herself
1. "They say nothing lasts forever; dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style."
In my interview I talked about how this show has shown me just how crucial the friendships you have around you are. Seeing 4 independent and busy women find time for each other on screen has inspired me to strengthen the relationships I have around me, professionally and personally.
2. “Maybe the best any of us can do is not to quit, play the hand we’ve been given, and accessorize the outfit we got.”
Stay positive and push hard for the things you want despite the curveballs that may be thrown. I showed up to every interview wearing pink, a detail that likely only I noticed, but an important detail that made me feel confident and empowered.
3. “I couldn’t help but wonder…”
Never lose your curiosity. Ask questions and look to learn more about your field, your network, and the world around you. The world is always changing, and the best way to keep up is to never stop wondering.