Recipe for Success
For nearly 45 years, I've worked as a national recruiter and consultant, helping people not only advance in their careers but align with their purpose and live their best lives. Over the years, I've seen how much the world has changed and how many of us are striving to overcome challenges and move forward. So when a candidate who owned a restaurant recently asked me about changing his career path to move into the corporate arena, I thought of lessons that have shaped me — and that I believe can help all of us during these changing times.
Making my list this weekend for our family Thanksgiving dinner, I reflected on all I learned working for my dad in his restaurant in Melvindale, Michigan, and how it might apply more broadly.
Working for my dad went far beyond making hamburgers on the grill and serving coffee — it was about service, care and connection. I remember being in high school, saving for college when I worked for my dad, and the memories of this one customer really come to mind. His name was Red, an elderly man who came in every day, walking slowly with his cane, clearly lonely and out of breath. My father taught me to treat every customer with genuine interest: Ask about their day, make their meal just the way they liked it, and show them they mattered. So when I saw Red pull in the parking lot, I'd start cooking his hamburger and soup exactly the way he preferred. And when I served him, I'd always take a moment to ask how he was doing.
Red came in faithfully for over a year. Then one week, he didn't show up. I asked my dad about it, and he said maybe Red had gone to visit family in another state. But soon after, my dad pulled me aside with news: Red had passed away. I was sad to hear the news. Yet there was more. Red had left a will — and he had left me a brand-new Mercury Cougar, a little money to help with my tuition for the first year and a card thanking me for always going the extra mile to make his meals just right and for caring enough to ask about his life.
That moment changed me. It showed me that the smallest act of kindness can leave the deepest impact. Red didn't just come to the restaurant for food — he came for connection. And in serving him, I learned that service is not about transactions but about people.
So when that candidate asked whether his restaurant experience could help him in the corporate world, I told him: absolutely. Because the skill of serving others — of listening, caring and making someone's day better — is universal. It's what builds trust.
Now let's take a look at a Recipe for Success that might allow the candidates of today to find their own “Food for the Soul” to move forward in our changing world:
Recipe for Success
A targeted approach to what you want
5 cups positive mindset
2 lbs. research
A calling card, or résumé, that fits the algorithms companies use to screen prospects
An outline of your transferrable skills (this one is especially pertinent for the restaurant owner)
Online courses, sliced and diced as appropriate
Mentors, coaches and/or networking contacts, simmered so as not to burn
A pinch of sugar — a lovely thank-you note after the interview
A heaping tablespoon of gratitude
In a pot, combine the first four ingredients. Together, these will provide the base that will help you find positions you might be interested in and complete job applications. Define what you want to achieve so you know what to look for. Keep a positive mindset so you don’t lose hope. Research options, even if they are not in a familiar field. Refine your calling card so company representatives will recognize when you’re a good fit. Retool your mindset to be positive and determined, no matter what has happened in the past.
Add in the next three ingredients to prepare for an interview. Review your existing skill set to see how it might translate into new positions. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and take online courses on unfamiliar subjects. Reach out to mentors, coaches or other network contacts to help you with mock interviews or to put in a good word for you with the companies to which you are applying.
Sprinkle in a pinch of sugar to counteract any bitterness of recent years. And don’t take the pot off the stove until you’ve added in gratitude by way of a thank-you email to the hiring authority within 24 hours of the interview.
If you receive a rejection letter or a negative comment about what you could or should have done better, respond positively. Don’t let it ruin your day or your job search. Look for ways to use your gifts and talents to give to the world. You never know what the universe might provide in return.
Finally, remember that there is no tried-and-true method that fits every situation. As you stand in whatever virtual kitchen you find yourself in now, see what feels right for your current circumstances. Take a closer look at what dishes you once didn’t care for that might be adapted with a tweak of ingredients. Might they make your recipe for success in work and life simply delicious?
This holiday season, let’s all be determined to create our own recipe for success and find our own “Food for the Soul” in our personal and professional kitchens. We can only control our mindsets and our attitudes to move forward and make a positive contribution to the New Work World. Even if we have to change up the ingredients a bit these days, we can still deliver a wonderful recipe for success for all to enjoy.
I am so grateful to that candidate who made me reflect on lessons I have learned from working for my dad, and for the truth that helping others is what gives life meaning. As Maya Angelou said so beautifully: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
