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

1. Acknowledge that task exams don’t always correspond to task realities.

Hundreds of companies screen candidates via psychological exams, tension interviews, group interviews, function-playing and a whole great deal more. Do these exams make sense?

* Martin Seligman discovered that optimism frequently outweighed raw product sales talent when he tested Metropolitan Life product sales representatives.

* Lawyers inform me that law school exams have small relation to what they do on a day-to-day basis, particularly if they’re litigating or negotiating.

* And most of us would concur: The way we act throughout an interview or function play doesn’t predict how we’ll survive and thrive on a day-to-day basis.

So we cannot fault Donald Trump for creating elaborate scenarios that force candidates into roles they will never need once they’re securely inside actual boardrooms.

2. Put together to confront sexism in the 21st century.

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

But let’s encounter it, people. Who selected these contestants?

20-something women wear tank tops and short skirts — no big offer, they would say. They mostly have lengthy straight hair and they’re above-typical appealing. Trump regularly brings up gender problems — even dividing groups along male vs. female lines — and obviously has an eye for the women. He is an additional generation.

But even the youthful males on the display are not immune. Discussing the magnificently blond Jennifer, 1 youthful guy summarizes: she’s a lawyer, she’s intelligent — and she’s beautiful.

Period 1 introduced a couple of males who weren’t GQ materials. 1 was sort of a teddy bear, the other a cold fish who tried to overcompensate throughout the job. When will we see a blunt-speaking, slightly overweight lady with eyeglasses?

3. Select environments exactly where you’ll shine and remain away from scenarios that bring out your worst side.

It is simple to criticize the Apprentice candidates. After all, they’re meant to be the best and the brightest.

But plenty of vibrant company whiz children don’t want to take 3 months off from their lives and their companies. Riding about in Trump limousines can be fun, but they’d instead begin working to purchase their own fleet, thank you very much!

Who wants to rest 3 feet away from the competitors in a crowded loft, whilst cameras display you sleeping, consuming and brushing your teeth? Not everyone can deal with this kind of living arrangement and the resulting stress.

What’s incredible is not that these candidates seem instead weak, but that candidates of this caliber showed up at all.

four. Keep your cool, no matter what.

Trump — and most of life — rewards people who can promote on their own professionally. Emotions and cat-fighting don’t cut it, here or anyw. In my viewpoint, Ivana’s conduct in the boardroom was worse than her road scandal. Instead of advertising her own qualities, she turned on fellow contestant Jennifer — who wasn’t even current.

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

5. Expect some smoke and mirrors.

Sure, reality tv is not very reasonable. Every episode ends with a cab ride — to a Manhattan hotel, exactly where contestants hole up till the taping ends and the “losers” no longer have to conceal their identification. (Hopefully they get single rooms!) Some Boardroom episodes reportedly have taped voice-overs of Donald Trump.

Actual companies don’t send executives out to the road to hawk candy bars or lemonade. Their executives get more than a few days to create marketing campaigns.

But actual companies run with smoke and mirrors, as well. They location ads for positions when they have a a pretty good idea who they will be employing. They have agendas: occasionally people are set up to lose. And they participate in staged dramatic scenes.

A Fortune fifty VP (now retired) once informed me about a tough labor negotiation. “The union leader and I agreed on our place in the afternoon. We announced we’d be negotiating all evening. I slept in my office he slept in the conference room. The subsequent early morning, we emerged, claiming a hard-won compromise.”

Not so different from reality tv, is it?

I provide 1-to-1 consultations on profession and company strategy.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and profession/company advisor, helping midlife professionals take their Initial stage to a 2nd Profession. http://www.cathygoodwin.com.

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Get in touch with: cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294