Get Naked. Get a Job.

It was near 9 o'clock the other night and I was frantically trying on jewel-toned tops in the Loehmann's communal dressing room. I had a Fox interview the next day (the one I had missed last week, if you are one of my faithful followers) and since you can't wear black on TV and all my clothes are black, I rushed out for an emergency wardrobe boost.  My friend Andra responded to my SOS and met me there, kicking into high gear and shuttling back and forth from the floor to the dressing room with armloads of tops in colors I can't even name.

People make fun of me for all my black clothes and once my aunt told me I always looked like I was going to a funeral but a) I tend to spill on myself, b)  black goes with everything, and anyway,  c) if someone close to me dies suddenly, I'm all set.

In the dressing room, we were being observed by a woman trying on a bunch of great long sundresses. Whatever "being observed" means, because if you've ever been in a communal dressing room, it's a hall and wall of mirrors; everyone can watch everyone, live or reflected; it's just a question of how much you're paying attention.  We were both half naked when she called out "So, you have a job interview tomorrow?"

I said, no, worse, it was a TV interview because I'd written a book about interviewing and job-hunting.  I told her radio was much easier; radio I could do in my pajamas. I showed her a copy of the book.  "I work in radio," she said, "I'm going to tell our book producer." We exchanged cards and I said I'd get her a copy.

I had to laugh. Here we were, literally undressed, making a professional connection. But the next morning I followed up and e-mailed her to  let her know that the TV studio was actually next to her office building (talk about fate) and that I'd be happy to drop off a book. She came out to meet me and took the book to pass along. When I thanked her for her overwhelming generosity in reaching out on behalf of a total stranger, she said "it's all about paying it forward." I told her I would now have to write a blog post called 'Get Naked. Get A Job' and thus this post was born.

See? When you're job-hunting, you can meet people everywhere. You never know when opportunity may knock. You do need to be ready (this time I did at least have my business card to give her)  and you do need to follow up, but I guess you don't even really have to be dressed! Thanks, Leslie!