OK Extravaganza Essay Winner






OK Extravaganza Essay Winner



Opportunity Knocks would like to congratulate
Janet Kotler of Atlanta, GA
on winning the OK Extravaganza Essay Contest.


Janet’s essay was chosen out of more than 100 essay submissions. For winning the essay contest, Janet receives the Opportunity Knocks Job Seeker Toolkit including:

Here is Janet’s your winning essay!

Some years ago, I applied for a teaching job with the University of Richmond. I was living at the time in Milwaukee, and had asked a friend to drive me to the airport for the scheduled interview.

On the way, it occurred to me I hadn’t done much research about UR (this was pre-widespread-internet) and asked my friend what she knew about the place. “Well,” she said, “John Boy went there.” (a reference to a TV program I’d never seen–Little House on the Paririe or some such.) “Oh fabulous, Mary,” I said. “THAT’ll be a lot of help.”

Arrived in Richmond. Met with Department Chair. No hard questions. Hm… Met with Department faculty. No questions. Hm…. Met with Dean. Same story. Odd. In late afternoon, finally met with Provost. Thought OK, here’s where hard questions will happen. But NO. Provost was at pains to point out that “We aren’t going to fold on you: we have $200 million in the bank.” OK, weird. But OK. Then he said, “You know, John Boy went here.” Oh YES I said. I know.

Got the job.

It was a hard decision for the Opportunity Knocks team to pick the essay winner. We would like to give a big thank you for all who participated in the OK Extravaganza Essay Contest.

Click here to read other staff favorite essay submissions.