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Who Needs Luck Anyway?

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Recently I have been contacted by a few companies about possible job opportunities and it's great. What I like best about it is that I am not actually out actively looking for these positions, but yet most of them are finding me one way or another.

If I decide to interview with the company and tell my family or friends this most common response is, “Good Luck!” I don’t quite understand this. I understand these people all want me to do well in life and would like to see me succeed, but why do I need luck?

The way I look at a possible opportunity is that if I need luck to get me the position then I don’t want it. I want to know that I am in a position that will be challenging, but I don’t want to have to rely on luck to get me there. Instead I want to rely on my own skills and personality to shine through.

Do you rely on luck?

--Eric (Grand Valley State University)

Comments

  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    If you don't need luck, maybe a bit of modesty ?
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    'Luck' does not only concern getting the job: Luck is important for a lot of things like not getting stuck or lost in traffic when you get there, luck so you and the interviewer are in a good mood and healthy, whatever.

    Funny though, in Germany another common term for 'good luck' is often 'good success' ('Viel Erfolg' - doesn't sound too well in english translation)

    Luck is just a small prayer for those things you have no control about not to do something funny.

    Of course you dont need luck at all, you can get a long way with your own labour. But one small incident of bad luck can ruin it all in an instance, like a friend of mine who was run over by a car on the way to his new work.

    So if you say you dont need luck it's like challenging fate to show you how unlucky you could get. Its quite common in young people to say they dont need luck. Getting older you'll learn to be more grateful for it ;)

    just my 2cent - well, more like 2$ it seems...
    Sam
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    I agree with the above comments. Conceit comes to mind. A lot of things were accomplished before you were born, young man.

    ~ Jad (20 years in the business)
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    Interviews are not like SAT/GRE/GMAT, they aren't quantified tests, and the result's determined by the interviewer. By saying good luck, they simply wish you can go to the interview without unexpected obstacles.
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    Eric, I'm totally with you on that one. I can understand the others here saying it sounds a bit conceited, BUT, if you're like me, you're not saying that you're just THAT GOOD that people should be so lucky to hire you, but you're saying that you would only want to be hired by a company that feels you have some particular value that you can bring to the team. I feel the same way...I don't like getting jobs because I knew the right person or because I just got lucky, but I like to think I would be hired because I can contribute something to the company that might be different (although perhaps not better or worse) than another potential hire. So I don't see it as conceit at all, only a pride in what you do and the desire to take that skill and use it in an environment where it is appriciated.
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    It's said purely as a figure of speech. Another way to look at it is they probably aren't interested in the luck you would bring to the company so much as your skills and personality. :-)
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    Social skills 101:

    Many statements in English are figures of speech. Such examples are:

    Good luck.
    How are you?
    I'm sorry (when someone says that someone they knew died).

  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    Hi Eric,

    Putting aside that you may have come across a little aloof, I accept that you didn't mean it that way ;-)

    I want to point out that you don't have to be a believer of 'luck' or 'good fortune' to believe what I do:

    "You make your own luck."

    Anyhow, good luck.
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    Luck has EVERYTHING to do with it. Good luck can help you land in the right spot for you and bad luck can help you find the exact WRONG spot for you. you can have all of the talent in the world and end up with a manager who can't help you get better or get you recognition for your accomplishments. That's luck my friend.

    You might be perfectly well qualified for a gig but maybe the recruiter woke up on the wrong side of the bed and you don't get past the initial screen. And sometimes you'll find that you're far too much credit to the person doing the interviewing to be able to spot your talent and capabilities. That's one of the reasons that at some places you'll be interviewed by multiple people.

    You should absolutely invest in your abilities and develop your talent. But ignore luck at your peril my friend. :)
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    I love the comments coming in, it's great to see everyone's perspective and really that's what it all boils down to, perspective.

    I understand the way luck, timing or as some may call it fate, may play a role in the entire process.

    I will stand by ground that if I have made it to the "interview" (read as meeting in person with individuals from the company... this assumes you have already made it past all of the prescreens), I don't want luck determining whether or not I get the offer.
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    "Luck: The chance happening of fortunate or adverse events; fortune." Luck has a lot to do with things. Your talents, skills, and personality will help you get to the places you want to be in life. So both play a big part in the game we call life.
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2005
    I suspect there are 3 possible meanings by "good luck" in this context:
    1) Best wishes that it will work out positively for you, whatever the outcome - probably the most common intent.
    2) Good luck that some of the things you can't control don't prevent you from getting a better position - recruiting is an inexact science
    3) Good luck because that position seems like a stretch for your skills & you'll need luck - probably the least likely but the one you're interpreting it to mean in your msg.
  • Anonymous
    June 15, 2009
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