Job search lessons from the Letterman/Palin feud

So a few days ago, David Letterman did a Top 10 list based on former VP hopeful Sarah Palin’s trip to New York.  Like many of his lists, I found it okay, but not particularly hilarious.  The Alaskan governor had other ideas.  She replied on a radio interview:

And an email statement.

Then Letterman replied:

While I am not particularly one way or  another on the  whole argument, here’s the point: the Late Show is enjoying a ratings boost, Palin’s in the news, we’re talking about it – everyone wins! (sort of)

Letterman got called out on something that he said.  He could have completely retracted it, been public about the whole thing to a ridiculous degree, and the whole thing could escalate beyond belief.  Instead, he’s stuck to his guns, acted within his character and personal beliefs, and seems to be getting positive reactions for it (and some that are not so positive).  Also, he’s talking to people on the same level: through his show.  Palin, meanwhile, is going through (as far as I know) email press releases and radio – two areas where she probably has to give a lot of exposition to listeners/readers – she is not approaching the same people that WATCHED the TELEVISION show in the first place.

So how can you apply this to your job search?

Regardless of how the whole thing ends up, Letterman is showing consistency in message, tone, and character.  He understands his limits, his audience, the ramifications of what he did, and how to best respond.  When you’ve finally gotten that interview after months of nothing, there might be the temptation to lie, overstep your bounds, embellish, or do whatever you have to do to get the position.  But doing so, and removing your consistency and showing a lack of character, won’t win you anything in the long term.  

Palin, meanwhile, is all over the place.  She’s moving in different media, away from the people who would have the most interest in her message, giving a sense of exaggeration, and will not come out of this whole mess looking that good.  By diluting her message from a simple and direct “I didn’t appreciate that” to broad strokes about how the talk show host is encouraging domestic violence, she is digging a deeper and deeper hole.  Learn from this mistake: keep your messages clear and concise, from your phone calls to your portfolios to your other job application tools.  Anything else can end up backfiring on you.

Whether you’re deciding how to change your cover letter, what to say in a resume, or how to deal with the “where do you see yourself in five years” interview question, you will have a much easier and more satisfying experience if you speak your message directly, eliminate possible misunderstanding, and are true to your own character.

[SIDENOTE: A quick web search shows that there have been a number of other top 10 lists that Letterman made about Palin.  Publicity move or real outrage?  YOU DECIDE!]