The World's Common Tater

The Jeopardy hosting search is still a big topic. Articles abound about the new host. Things he said on a podcast. The way he possibly influenced the hosting search. I’m sure some Sony people are regretting the decision to hire him. But I’m not here to write about Richards and his background. If they announced today that they reconsidered and he was being replaced I would be fine with that(pending who they hired in his place). I’m here to write about the AV Club article saying he should step down and the following quote from the article

“It’s unfortunate that guest hosts like Aaron Rodgers and LeVar Burton really put themselves out there in terms of openly wanting the job and for Rodgers in particular, discussing the extraordinary amount of effort to which he went to prepare for his turn, when it’s not clear anyone besides Richards ever had a real chance at the main role,” 

A friend shared this on Facebook and said “If they wanted it so bad was a real qualification for a job, I’m pretty sure 95% of us would be working elsewhere” and in the comments someone pointed out that the guest host stints were like job interviews and that in real life interviews people don’t get the job because the panel knows they really wanted it and blew the interview due to nerves.

I agree with all of this.

I’ve interviewed for a lot of jobs, mostly within the organization where I worked for 25 years. I was rejected over and over again. I really wanted several of those jobs. Some people thought I was the best person for the job. I blew several of those interviews because of nerves. When I was turned down for a position where I knew I did a bad job in the interviews, I was not as upset as I was when I was turned down despite the fact I thought I aced the interview. I knew when I blew it and I anticipated the rejection. I didn’t expect them to hire me just because I really wanted the job and people like me. I wished they would do that, but I knew that’s not the way things work. It sucks for people like me who get nervous before every interview, but that’s the way it works. Now, there were some times when I feel like I was the Ken Jennings of the situation. I had a long association with the organization, I did a good job in the interview, and I was passed over so they could hire an insider no one wanted.

I’ve also been on an interview panel a couple of times. I interviewed people I knew and like a lot. I wanted to have a good reason to hire them. I wanted them to ace the interview so everyone would agree they were the best person for the job. Many other people liked them and really wanted them to get the job. They really, really wanted the job. I did not hire them because someone else aced the interview and they did not. It’s hard to be in that position because you have to say no to someone you like and you know you have disappointed a lot of people who thought you should hire the person they all like. It’s tough, but you can’t let personal feelings or the feelings of other people influence the decision.

The Jeopardy situation should be no different just because the complaints are amplified on social media. There was a process. Some people aced the interview. Some people didn’t. Your feelings about them don’t and shouldn’t matter.