Glenford Smith | Career choices of a lottery winner

Q Mr Smith, if I were to go to an interview and I am asked: If you were the winner of the $50-million lottery, would you work nonetheless?, I would honestly say I would take some time off, and travel the world. But this might lead me to not get the job. What would you advise?

– Heather

Thank you for your question. We all have our own vision of what life would be like and what we would do if we had that kind of money.

Some people would have some choice words to say to their employer the day after they learnt of their good fortune. Others have imagined that they would show up to work the next day in jeans and with a huge cigar, puffing in the face of their boss. A few would talk of the philanthropic work they always wanted to leave work and be engaged in.

Almost everyone has some version of what you have expressed, that is, taking some time off to decide what the world had to offer.

Very few would honestly keep on working, either at their current job or some other place. But this is not what they want you to say.

Imagine telling the interviewers you would quit your job on the same day, meaning write your resignation letter, and at the appointed time bid your goodbyes and go explore the world.

You may think it would seem you couldn’t wait to abscond from work and perhaps appear to be lazy.

It’s consideration like that which shows why that answer would be a non-starter.

But the interviewer may also disbelieve a response that you would continue to work faithfully at executing your duties at the company.

So damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.

What should you do?

The aim of this question is to test your underpinning attitude towards the job and how you feel about it. Remember that the interviewer could win the $50 million in the lottery, too. Neither of the above responses would suit the interviewer; they aren’t looking for those answers. They want to see how you would go about answering the question.

You would take the following approach, using your own words of course.

‘After coming to my senses I think I would still maintain the core belief that achievement and success comes with a productive and purposeful life. Lots of money may be better than being without money, but money by itself does not make one happy; or all wealthy people would be happy. You and I know that isn’t true.

‘I love the work I do. Your question is a purely hypothetical one, of course. Since I don’t foresee anything like that happening in the future, I’d just as soon choose my destiny, working reliably, knowing this has always worked for me in the past. This is a much more reliable way to achieve wealth, happiness and peace of mind than the lottery’.

Glenford Smith is president of CareerBiz Coach and author of From Problems to Power and Profile of Excellence.

careerbizcoach@gmail.com