Lessons from Donald Trump and The Apprentice: A Career Coachs Perspective

What can we learn about careers from watching Donald Trump and The Apprentice?

1. Recognize that job tests don't always correspond to job realities.

Hundreds of companies screen candidates through psychological tests, stress interviews, group interviews, role-playing and a whole lot more. Do these tests make sense?

* Martin Seligman found that optimism often outweighed raw sales talent when he tested Metropolitan Life sales representatives.

* Lawyers tell me that law school tests have little relation to what they do on a day-to-day basis, especially if they're litigating or negotiating.

* And most of us would agree: The way we act during an interview or role play doesn't predict how we'll survive and thrive on a day-to-day basis.

So we can't fault Donald Trump for creating elaborate scenarios that force candidates into roles they'll never need once they're safely inside real boardrooms.

2. Prepare to confront sexism in the 21st century.

Critics -- and Caroline --may raise their eyebrows when women use sex to sell. Season 1 brought overt flirting and short short skirts. Season 2 brought Ivana Ma, who will unfortunately be remembered for downloading her skirt to reveal some flowered bikini something or other.

But let's face it, folks. Who chose these contestants?

Twenty-something women wear tank tops and short skirts -- no big deal, they would say. They mostly have long straight hair and they're above-average attractive. Trump regularly brings up gender issues -- even dividing teams along male vs. female lines -- and obviously has an eye for the ladies. He's another generation.

But even the young men on the show aren't immune. Discussing the magnificently blond Jennifer, one young man summarizes: she's a lawyer, she's smart -- and she's beautiful.

Season 1 introduced a couple of men who weren't GQ material. One was sort of a teddy bear, the other a cold fish who tried to overcompensate during the task. When will we see a blunt-speaking, slightly overweight woman with glasses?

3. Choose environments where you'll shine and stay away from situations that bring out your worst side.

It's easy to criticize the Apprentice candidates. After all, they're supposed to be the best and the brightest.

But lots of bright business whiz kids don't want to take three months off from their lives and their businesses. Riding around in Trump limousines can be fun, but they'd rather start working to buy their own fleet, thank you very much!

Who wants to sleep three feet away from the competition in a crowded loft, while cameras show you sleeping, eating and brushing your teeth? Not everyone can handle this type of living arrangement and the resulting pressure.

What's amazing is not that these candidates seem rather weak, but that candidates of this caliber showed up at all.

4. Keep your cool, no matter what.

Trump -- and most of life -- rewards people who can promote themselves professionally. Emotions and cat-fighting don't cut it, here or anywhere. In my opinion, Ivana's conduct in the boardroom was worse than her street scandal. Instead of promoting her own qualities, she turned on fellow contestant Jennifer -- who wasn't even present.

They could all take a lesson from Season 1's Bill Rancic, who never raised his voice and yet managed to put forth his own case, powerfully and calmly.

5. Expect some smoke and mirrors.

Sure, reality television isn't very realistic. Each episode ends with a cab ride -- to a Manhattan hotel, where contestants hole up till the taping ends and the "losers" no longer have to hide their identity. (Hopefully they get single rooms!) Some Boardroom episodes reportedly have taped voice-overs of Donald Trump.

Real companies don't send executives out to the street to hawk candy bars or lemonade. Their executives get more than a few days to create advertising campaigns.

But real companies operate with smoke and mirrors, too. They place ads for positions when they have a a pretty good idea who they'll be hiring. They have agendas: sometimes people are set up to lose. And they participate in staged dramatic scenes.

A Fortune 50 VP (now retired) once told me about a tough labor negotiation. "The union leader and I agreed on our position in the afternoon. We announced we'd be negotiating all night. I slept in my office; he slept in the conference room. The next morning, we emerged, claiming a hard-won compromise."

Not so different from reality television, is it?

I offer one-to-one consultations on career and business strategy.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First step to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com.

"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change" mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com

Contact: cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Coaching Information:

Related Articles

How to Optimize the Awesome Power of Thoughts and Imagination
Have you encountered a time when you were in a traffic jam and was running late for an important meeting? Did you stay calmand focused? Or did your mind wander into the dark side ofthe impending consequences that may occur?If you're always picturing people getting mad at you and thinking of negative outcomes, then your body suffers as well. You may experience chest pains, anxiety disorders, indigestion, and other health problems.
Secrets of Creating Interpersonal Power
If you work with people, as a company owner, manager and team leader or on the customer interface, your impact on others is your most important asset! Someone creating 'Interpersonal Power', as I see it, has the ability to inspire, motivate and facilitate outstanding action in another.In 1996 I won the Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA, in Whitewater Slalom.
Coaching for Physicians
Is Having a Professional Coach a Solution to Optimizing your Practice's Performance? "What do you do?"The proverbial question we get asked day in and day out by strangers, acquaintances, family, and friends. We are conditioned to answer with our current job or career.
HR Professional in New Avtaar: HR as a Coach and Mentor
IntroductionThese days in corporate sector, everybody is talking about the role of HR professional as a coach and mentor. People are exited as well as confused.
4 Steps to Successful Goal-Setting
Successful people have always had clear, focused goals that guide them to greatness.It took Thomas Edison thousands of attempts and thousands of failures over many years to invent the electric light bulb, but he new exactly what he wanted, and his goal kept him going until he achieved it The rest, as they say, is history.
How to Jump-start Your Emotional Health
You've probably heard the expression: "It's not what you're eating. It's what's eating you!" This well-known saying reminds us that the thoughts we entertain can have an impact on our health.
5 Tips to Improve ANY Performance
Seeking improved performance at work? Wishing you could finally achieve your sports-related goals? Merely looking for a way to get more out of everything you do? What follows are five basic skills (basic in that all top achievers know these skills and apply them in some form on a weekly basis) that will dramatically improve your performance.1.
Ch-Ch-Chain of Hearts: Cranking Up Compassion
Can you hear your compassion? It's time to crank it up.One of the most difficult challenges we face in our quest to be compassionate is dealing with conflict.
Are You A Work Addict?
Work addiction is very common in our society today, yet it is not one that is not highly recognised.An interesting article in the March edition of The Success Report published by Success Technologies stated:"Of all the addictions receiving attention today (including alcohol, drugs, gambling and food) work addiction is perhaps the least recognised and possibly the most dangerous.
Do You Ever Give Up Coaching Employees?
In principle, we don't want to give up coaching employees. We want to believe that we can eventually make a difference.
Why a Coach is NOT a Consultant
Often while talking to people about my coaching practice I get asked what the difference is between a coach and a consultant. Many people believe they are either the same thing or very similar.
The Biggest Loser
I am a "Loser". You're gonna learn from this writing today the reason why you too must be a "Loser".
What Do You Really Want ?
Being a coach is such a rewarding profession. The enormous impact you have on other people's lives always astounds me.
The Harvest: Shared Power
The fall harvest comes upon us once a year. The farmers collect the sometimes-scant rewards of their heroic efforts begun months before.
Its Only Adult ADD-What A Relief!
For most of her fifty years, Barbara was at war with herself. Keeping organized, being on time, and finishing what she started were always a struggle.
Say Adios to the Fear of Rejection!
Do you ever get an uncomfortable feeling in your stomach when you have to approach someone?In situations like this does your mind go blank?This is not unusual. That feeling is often the fear of rejection.
What Does It Take To Have It All In Life?
Many people have asked me why I wrote my book, 'The Street Kid's Guide to Having it All', and I realized that some people simply do not believe that it is possible to 'have it all'. Well, I am here as an ambassador to dispel that rumor once and for all.
Lessons from Donald Trump and The Apprentice: A Career Coachs Perspective
What can we learn about careers from watching Donald Trump and The Apprentice?1. Recognize that job tests don't always correspond to job realities.
Online Counseling - a Timely Happenstance
Online counseling may be the latest and greatest improvement intherapy. It seems to be perfect for this fast-paced world withmany workers who sit by their computer screens all day long.
A World of Possibility
When I started my sales career over 25 years ago, I worked for a small company selling telephone answering equipment. Hard to believe it but in those days I had to explain to prospects what the equipment was for and why they might want to use it.