5 Things Comedy Class Teaches You About Job Search

5 Things Comedy Class Teaches You About Job Search5 Things Comedy Class Teaches You About Job SearchFor six weeks this fall, Ive been studying writing of a different kind Karen Bergreens beginner comedy class at the Manhattan Comedy School. I always tell my job-seeking clients and column readers to be well-rounded and unique and to keep learning and stretching. So learning about things seemingly unrelated to my own day job is part of taking my own advice. Luckily, comedy is relevant to job search techniqueBe specific. The funniest comedians give very specific details. The same can be said about compelling job candidates the best candidates are specific in explaining what they want and what they contribute. When good job candidates give an example, we understand the scope of their responsibilities and the scale of their accomplishments.Edit ruthlessly. You dont need a lot of explanation before getting to the punch line of the story. In fact, too much explanation diminishes the power of the joke. Similarly, dont ramble in your interview responses and other job search communication. Get to the point quickly and keep your listeners attention.Talk about what you know. Being comfortable and familiar with your subject matter made it infinitely easier to be specific and find the humor. Successful jobseekers need to get comfortable and familiar with the industries, companies, and jobs they are targeting. Do research before meeting people. Prepare your interview examples. When you talk about what you know (because you have researched and prepared in advance), you captivate your listener.Be yourself. There is no one profile or style that is the funny one. It is better to infuse who you are genuinely into your comedy set. In the case of job candidates, your unique personality differentiates you in addition to your professional attributes. There are other good communicators, exceptional problem-solvers, and strong leaders. You compete on skills and experie nce but also contribute your unique style.The audience needs to get the joke. Sometimes a student was really attached to a joke that others in the class didnt understand or didnt think was funny. Instead of arguing the point, students were encouraged to rewrite and rework the original premise. Similarly, jobseekers should pay attention to any feedback that suggests what youre doing isnt working. You may think your job search technique is fine, but if its been several months and you havent landed anything, employers clearly arent getting you. Dont argue with the market rework your job search.Sometimes when you are overly-focused on a goal, you can get stuck. Its very helpful to step back and focus on something very differentto refresh, reignite your creativity, and broaden your perspective. You may find that you come back to your original goal with fresh eyes and are more productive. You dont have to take comedy class specifically or even do something artistic. It can be spor ts, cooking, joining a book club. Diverse interests are valuable to the jobseeker because they make you more unique, they stretch and challenge you in different ways, and they enable you to remain fresh and productive. Caroline Ceniza-Levine