Resilience Resume – Kevin Grubb

Kevin Grubb | Associate Vice Provost, Career & Professional Development

“After a few years of working as a career counselor and coach, I applied and got an interview for a leadership opportunity at a very well-known organization. I was so excited about the chance to be in the room with people and talk about how my skills and experiences aligned with what they needed in their next leader.

Despite my effort and preparation, I bombed the interview, and I knew it. I could feel it going badly, and I was losing confidence with every less-than-great response I gave to their questions. My inner critic was having the best day ever. It came as no surprise to me that I got an email a few days later telling me that the organization did not want to have me continue the interview process. Even though I had a strong feeling the rejection email was coming, I was pretty crushed. I was supposed to be the person who knew it all about interviews. I coached other people on it all the time. How could I have failed? I had a lot of questions for myself. I distinctly remember taking myself for a walk to clear my head. The story I told myself was that I would learn from this mistake and do better next time – whenever next time was. If I’m being honest, I only halfway believed myself.

Sure enough, the time to prove myself came again when I applied for and got an interview for the leadership role I am in now at Villanova. I was much more ready this time! Because I tried something like this before, I knew just a little bit more about what to expect. Because I gave less-than-great answers before, I sharpened what could be great answers. Because I knew I could pick myself back up again, I didn’t fear failing as much. And here I am now, having succeeded in that interview.

I know now that failing is part of the process of succeeding. I have to stretch myself – thoughtfully – beyond what I am normally capable of to realize what the next frontier is really like. I remind myself that it’s okay not to know it all and to be open to learning from what falling short might teach me. The next time might be the right time, and I’ll never know unless I keep trying.”

Kevin’s Resilience Resume Social Media Post

By Dan Luner
Dan Luner Digital Media & Assessment Specialist