After the 2008 crash, the London job market was toast. I applied for over 1,200 roles, got 13 interviews, and landed just one offer: a 6-week contract in a town I didnโt even like.
It was brutal.
On the train one morning, I thought: how do I stand out when every candidate looks, sounds, and acts the same?
Short of turning up in a safari suit, I tried something else.
I dropped in the odd slang word. Maybe something borderline sweary. Nothing offensive. Just a bitโฆ unexpected.
And funnily enough, people remembered me.
Sometimes I didnโt get the job.
But a few months later, Iโd get a call. โHey, you free? Got something for you.โ
Turns out, playing it too safe is the real risk.