I am about to turn 62. I remember not too long ago I was looking forward to retirement, but now that I’m so close, I’m not sure I’m ready. Looking back on over forty years in the workplace, I can plot an upward growth of opportunities that presented themselves to me.
As I acquired more skills, finding employment became easier. I discovered this phenomenon by taking my résumé, charting my employment history and developing the résumé into a timeline. Each new job presented challenges, but I approached each stumbling block as a stepping-stone, using previously acquired skills to propel myself forward.
Don’t get me wrong, this employment progression has not always been effortless, but I have noticed that throughout my work history there has been one constant factor – humor. When I was younger, part of my résumé featured a reference to my time as a stand-up comedienne. Potential employers would invariably ask me how I got involved with comedy and the dialog would begin.
Currently, I attend The Women’s College at the University of Denver. One night a representative from the Career Center suggested to look at your past experiences and identify what you have gained from them. This revelation reminded me of the correlation between humor and the workplace and how keeping a sense of humor has helped me cope with many difficult situations. I often think of the quote from “Out of Africa,” the memoir by Danish author Baroness Karen von Blixen, that “the Earth was made round so that we would not see too far down the road.”
One of my most challenging jobs was working for an attorney who had no sense of humor. Imagine that! I heard about a job at The University of Denver; the advertised position was for an executive assistant to former Governor Dick Lamm at The Center for Public Policy. I applied online and waited for a call.
Within a couple of days, the call came, and I made an appointment for an interview. The Governor offered me a seat and he began reading my résumé. After a few moments, he looked up and said, “So, you’re a comedienne. Have you heard any good jokes lately?”
As a matter of fact, I had heard quite a few good jokes and after about fifteen minutes of animated gestures, I performed most of them for him. I ended my performance with my pièce de résistance, the “suit joke.”
The suit joke was part of an old Vaudeville routine passed down to me by my father. I performed the comical story with finesse, incorporating the use of a New York dialect along with physical comedy. This bit never failed to produce raucous laughter and I was convinced that the levity could only facilitate my interview. After all, don’t people hire people they like?
Then, the unthinkable happened. After the punch line, Governor Lamm looked down at his watch and announced that he had to cut the interview short. I was stunned and remained seated as he got up and excused himself. This was the most bizarre interview that I ever had. There were no questions about my previous employment, qualifications or skills. I performed a comedy sketch for a potential employer at his request and then he promptly got up and left the room.
A few days later I was relieved when I received an email telling me that I had a second interview with Governor Lamm and several professors from the department. I arrived early and was escorted into the conference room. Governor Lamm smiled and introduced me to the distinguished looking group. “This is Jeanne Nott,” he said. “Jeanne, why don’t you perform your suit joke?” I did and after a round of applause, I was offered the position.
Considering the fact that while he was in office Governor Lamm was referred to as “Governor Gloom,” I decided that getting the job based on my comedic skills was a miracle. The years working with Governor Lamm turned out to be one of my best investments in my future. I acted as a liaison to media, political figures, and professionals of all levels. Former Wyoming Senator Alan K. Simpson and I would often exchange jokes over the phone. Once again, having a sense of humor paid off for me.
My dad always used to say, “leave ’em laughing” and you can be sure when I’m ready to retire, I’ll have a smile on my face!
Jeanne Nott (jeannenott@comcast.net) is property manager of Vita Flats apartments in Denver. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
