17 Feb My Catch-22 Experience
“Catch-22” was a popular fictional book and later a movie published by Joseph Heller in 1961.
In Heller’s book, an Air Force lieutenant desired to be exempted from a bombing mission because he claimed he was insane. But, claiming he was insane to avoid a dangerous mission demonstrated that he was sane. Therefore, he could not be exempted from the mission because he was not insane.
Merriam-Webster defines “Catch-22” as “a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule.”1 A typical example is a job-seeker not being hired because they lack experience in the desired area. Still, the company is unwilling to provide the applicant with an opportunity to gain experience.
I targeted a large company in the Chicago suburbs known for its comprehensive catalog of diversified industrial products for employment in their sales area. I researched their website and found openings for experienced salespeople. One of my former co-workers, Anne, was employed in sales there and told me she was well-treated. Also, the company had excellent benefits! Working for an unsuccessful start-up left me without the health and 401k benefits I needed for my family.
I was connected to Anne through LinkedIn.com. I contacted her and asked her to connect with me with their Vice President of Sales, Margaret. Margaret quickly accepted my invitation to connect, and we began a very casual conversation on LinkedIn.com. Eventually, I mentioned that I was looking for work and asked her if we could meet for coffee, to which she agreed.
About one week later, I visited Margaret at the company cafeteria. We had an excellent 20-minute informal conversation and found many common interests and ideas. The meeting was not an interview. She told me I would need to apply for the position through the company website. I had hoped to avoid this process, but she told me it was mandatory.
So, I completed the application process through the company website. Once I submitted the required answers and material, I waited patiently for a call or letter. After about three weeks, I did not receive a response, so I contacted Margaret by email, and she wrote that she would follow up.
A few days later, I received a call from someone in their Human Resources department. She scheduled me for an interview with Lucas, the Assistant Human Resource Manager who handled the sales hires.
When I met Lucas a few days later, he was very unfriendly. He told me I should not have followed their formal hiring procedure. He had a lot of questions about my sales competency. He especially seemed uncertain that I could contact decision-makers, which was a significant concern.
I could not hold back and told him that, in fact, I had just demonstrated that I could contact Margaret, the Vice President of Sales. I had already met with the hiring manager! “Yes,” he acknowledged with a frown. But he told me that he was still unconvinced. I asked him if I was being considered further for a sales position with the company, and he told me his manager and the hiring manager would decide that.
I emailed Margaret again when I hadn’t heard back from him in two weeks. This time, she ignored me and did not return my message.
So, by proving that I could reach a decision-maker, I was disqualified for a job where they were looking for someone who could get a decision-maker. It’s a perfect Catch-22.“