http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/09/opinion/sunday/tips-for-landing-a-career-at-your-fathers-software-company.html 2016-10-06 19:29:46 Tips for Landing a Career at Your Father’s Software Company You don’t know what goes on there, but you do know you have a pretty good shot. === Finding a career that’s right for you at your father’s software company is one of the more difficult tasks you will encounter as you enter your 30s. But it can be exciting, too! If you set realistic goals and put your mind to it, there’s no reason you won’t find gainful employment at the company your father runs. Where to start? Your imagination runs wild, picturing all the possible careers. So many careers, you can’t name them all. You can’t name any of them. You don’t know what goes on at your father’s software company. (Is it a software First things first. Let’s get you an interview with your father. Scoring the Interview It shouldn’t be too hard to land the initial interview with Dad, provided you know some basic things about him. Where does he like to hang out? At home? Nice. Then you can just go downstairs. Living with your parents provides a tremendous advantage here. Go to the TV room, where he watches golf and takes naps. Uh-oh, what if he’s napping when you arrive for the interview? Is it O.K. to reschedule? Sorry, Charlie. This is your career we’re talking about, and it can’t wait. What Should I Wear to the Interview? If your dad wakes to see you standing over him dressed in a suit, it could frighten him. Is his son a spy? Casual is the way to go here. The yellow golf shirt he bought you at the U.S. Senior Open he dragged you to three years ago is an excellent choice. He’ll be proud to see you finally wearing it, Waking Up Your Father for the Interview Be sure you’ve done the proper research on Dad. Does he like to be woken up gently? Abruptly? Not at all? Is he the type who’s embarrassed to be caught napping? Does he prize naps above all else, and woe to the poor soul who wakes him in hopes of scoring a career at his software company? These are things to think about when waking up your father. Beginning the Interview So, there you are with your newly awake father. Ease into things. If golf is on, try, “Hey, sleepyhead, you’re missing one heck of a golf match.” But be sure you know what would constitute one heck of a golf match and that the golf match on television matches those criteria. Ask for What You Want It’s up to you to decide how long to watch golf in silence with your father before bringing up needing a job. Don’t wait too long, he’s getting sleepy again! Don’t say: “Oh, a commercial. Can I have a job?” Try this instead: “Oh, a commercial. I’ll read some of this amazing book now.” What does your father see you reading? A book about software, called “Introduction to the Very Interesting World of Software” or something Get the Gig! Ask questions.