Three weeks ago I had a job interview. An interview for a job I was actually quite interested in, rather than just being a way out of the harrowingly dull, underachieving job I have at the moment. I have by me now the letter that arrived today, which will tell me whether or not I have been successful. Hmm, it looks rather thin.
You might be wondering what relevance this has to Brentford. Well, a week or so prior to the interview I was in the pub with my friend Ian, a Bristol Rovers fan. Now, whenever you fill out an application form these days there is always the equal opportunities blurb on it. How nobody will be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex, religion, etc. We were discussing whether ‘football team supported’ should be added to the list. After all, it seems to me that if you are a prospective employer, you can tell a lot about somebody from his or her football allegiance.
For example, if you are one of the Armchair Alan glory boys who endlessly harps on about Manchester United until they get a bad result and then goes strangely quiet, only to pop back up next time they win, surely this demonstrates a certain shallowness and slackness that may carry through to the work-place? Our theory developed to the stage where we decided that if we were employers, it would be mandatory to declare what football team you supported on your application form. Needless to say candidates who didn’t like football need not apply.
In view of all this, I was rather shocked when, at my job interview, the first question I was asked was; “Which football team do you support?” I naturally replied “Brentford”, which prompted some raised eyebrows before the interviewer explained he was a Middlesbrough fan and had a lot of time for people who supported their local teams. “Excellent!” I thought, maybe there is something to be said for pub theories after all. Surely supporting Brentford demonstrates the ability to find value in things that most people can’t see. Perhaps it shows a person can work long and hard with no thanks or little reward, it paints a picture of somebody who can handle disappointment time and time again, but still remain dedicated. An individual who shows loyalty, somebody who tries to stay optimistic and will encourage even when the best resources may not be available. Someone who is patient, someone who has a sense of humour – in fact, all the attributes that an employer would be looking for. Brentford eh? Couldn’t have failed to impress!!!
And then it struck me! What if supporting Brentford was interpreted differently? The person obviously settles for mediocrity, they have no ambition what-so-ever and, on the occasions that success is within grasp, they will fail to apply themselves and will not make that little extra effort or sacrifice to ensure that they achieve what is expected of them. They will fail to listen to people who genuinely want to help them progress their career. They will alienate these people by failing to communicate their plans, if indeed they have any. Their telephone manner when dealing with customers is atrocious. They will give the best part of the office to visitors and competitors to use, at the same time spreading the most dedicated employees around the building so they cannot pool their enthusiasm to motivate others or to boost the business. They will be liable to sell the company assets for a fraction of their market value and, when the office is crying out for a new photocopier to replace the efficient and reliable copier that was got rid of simply because it required a bit more toner, they will seek to bring in a new photocopier on the cheep that is untested, or a second hand reserve copier that another company didn’t want any more.
Suddenly I wasn’t as confident about my chances. Perhaps I was reading a little too much into it? Anyway, here’s the envelope, let’s find out… Just open it… “Dear Mr. Cooper…” … BUGGER!!!!
Andy Cooper
Have you had a similar experience at an interview? Have you ever been asked what team you supported? Share your tale by adding a comment below.
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Though some of this remains familiar with the disappointment of Doncaster game and Wembley, I think it would be unfair to suggest where we are now isn’t dramatically improved on the circumstances when I wrote that in 1997. I’m guessing I was heavily influenced at the time by the Forster sale, and the customer service ethic of the club was widely derided. Last season’s was a young team with who gave it all but couldn’t quite get there, not the plaything of miscreants such as Webb or Noades. The atmosphere and customer service has, for the most part improved since then, whether or not you are insulted by the term “customer”, it’s definitely better.
Just as a post script to this article, the prospective employers did come back later and offer me the job (after their first choice didn’t take it), but by then I had got another job that set in motion my eventual move to Hong Kong, which has been a fantastic opportunity so I’m glad it went that way looking back, although I don’t get to as many games these days. Let’s hope this time next year we in the Championship after a storming season, reflecting that it worked out for the best as we are better equipped to compete with a more experienced squad!
I chuckled when I read this. Back in the day, I was trying to switch career from tedious computing to glamorous marketing .. Albeit with no experience. The only experience I had was my scrap book of Brentford trips I used to run (unofficial coaches, boats etc).
One day I applied for this event management job at a sponsorship agency and I got an interview. Up I turned up with my scrap book and waited nervously to see the boss.
He called me in. He was very polite. We started chatting about my backrground and what I had done. He asked me what attributes and formal experience I had in the area of sponsorship and event management and I said “None. But have a look at my scrap book”.
Very excitedly I started flick through it describing various trips. Days out like the “Lakes Larks” trip where we all went mountain climbing in the Lake District after an away game at Chester. And the “Bee Brum Brom” when our game was called off at Birmingham City and we ended up at West Brom … plus loads more.
Then very strangely, he just grabbed the scrap book from me and started flicking through it excitedly. “I didnt know you organised the boat to Southend” he said. “And I didn’t realise you wrote to Cadburys about sending chomp bars down before the Bradford game”. This completely threw me. How did he know so much about all this Brentford-related stuff?
Then it twigged. Well it did when he said “By the way, I’m a Brentford fan”.
I almost fell off my interview chair.
For the next hour we didnt discuss work. We just talked about Brentford and their chances of going up that season. Needless to say, I got the job and had great fun over the next few years organising husky dog races for a Canadian beer company and swanning around the country organising art exhibitions for British Telecom. All because I was a Brentford fan.
My old boss still goes to Brentford week in and week our and is well known to quite a few Bees fans out there so I won’t embarass him by exposing him publicly.
But needless to say, I’m all in favour of the ‘what’s your football team?’ box on application forms. The only problem is it could get say Man United fans claiming to be Bury fans just to get to satisfy the ‘individuality’ and ‘resilience’ attributes required by their potential future employer.
If, like me, you’re always looking for a chance to get Brentford into the conversation – any conversation – then job interviews seem to be a doddle. Well that;’s been my experience anyway.
First up when I left London for the Midlands 27 years ago, I went for an interview at the Coventry Evening Telegraph. I thought the interview was going well when the subject turned to hobbies.
Here was my chance. I played my Bees card.
The News Editor, a lifelong Southampton fan, burst out laughing and the Managing Director, a Yeovil fan, could barely contain his glee.
“At last we can have someone whose team is more shit than mine,” he beamed. I doubt he’s laughing now.
Got the job though.
Fast forward to 2008 and I’m News Editor at one of the biggest regional papers in the country, the Birmingham Mail.
Papers are no longer being invested in and I’m offered redundo which after some deliberation, I take.
I cast the net looking for job and it’s a leap into the unknown. After all I’ve never not had a job.
Then I see a job as Head of News at West Midlands Police… lots of responsibility, decent money and a great chance to learn new stuff like crisis management, emergency comms and moreover keep in touch with my former journo mates. Only this time to keep the bad news out of the media eye.
Interview date set and I’m building it up in my head. Dealing with life changing incidents, murder inquiries etc will require a degree of gravitas – there’ll be no mention of football in this interview.
In walks my prospective boss in full uniform, Det Supt Mark Payne, a top bloke who is now deservedly climbing his way up the tree at the force because of his common touch.
After a gruelling half hour of questions “what would you do if…”, “we have a triple murder gang related in Smethwick near and old people’s home, what will you do first?” we seemed to be getting on.
Then Boom… so I see you played football for south of England schools, what team do you support?
Is it a trap? Keep cool Jim, don’t gush. Yeah right.
Ten minutes later we were still reminiscing about games at Fellowes Park and David Crown’s debut in a 3-2 win.
He was a big Walsall fan and we got on like a house on fire. I got the job.
The Gold meetings, where we’d sit with the Chief Constable and Operational chiefs, were always interesting whenever Brentford headed to the West Midlands.
They always made me stand up and promise that our fans would be on their best behaviour. Goes without saying.
Football, and in particular Brentford, is like an oil that salves conversations and eases our paths in life.
If people say ‘I don’t like football’ I know I’ll struggle to get the gig.
Great article and I really enjoyed reading the comments, keep up the good work.