An I'm-Prompt-You: Pre-employment pre-empts: In so many words.

In Terms of Employ-meant: As to what you might have meant, words you might want to take back, from your very first "job interview" or, the earlier, universally experienced, assuming you spent any time in a classroom, getting asked a question or being provided with a "prompts' -- after which you are given just a few moments to "contemplate, reflect..." after which you are then expected, within the allotted space and time, a coherent, even what is occasionally rated a "cogent" response, such as trying to pose as "presidential" in a debate which, even after a lot of grilling, grueling redebate sessions by your so-called "handlers", you can still get caught off guard...kinda' like what I tried to simulate here a few days ago, after so prosaically walking you through some necessary steps, "pre-reqs"...prevocational behaviors and attitudes one has to have in order to even conceive of being a "good employee", let alone go out "job hunting" -- which might land you an interview, assuming you filled out an "app" which, if done properly and with perhaps just a few well placed, timed "superlatives" (sometimes referred as embellishments of previous experience..."positions held"). Which essentially was my intent with just a few simple words, meant to simply get you to pause and think, well before (I was kind enough to give you a few days to "stew over this")...Not too different from the experience we've all encountered "Can I have a few words with you?" or, in the case of my early career path, in the context of what we might come to experience, when posed by my main mentor  "(YOU) got a minute?" Which, when posed, I found it a bit imposing, as it usually occurred at the most inopportune times -- when I was unprepared, caught off guard. In order that you, my friends, whether in the context of schooling or "getting schooled"...

"What's the (good) word?" If asked non-parenthetically, as a teacher, boss, or other, even more imposing interviewer (picture yourself on the witness stand, getting hot, under the collar), "So spit it out, get to the point, is it or isn't it, yes or no, it's a simple question requiring a simple answer...just one...

"Word" In our truncated and slang driven world, came to mean, at least con-textually speaking, conveyed a degree of agree-meant, sort of what we used to call a "tacit" level of agreement, consensus, concession..."not worth arguing about"...Brought to you today, whether you are still attending classes, preparing for you very first job interview or find yourself, along with dusting off your old resume, having to recall what responses and approach to your career launch landed you there and then, after your company downsized..."here again"...

An In-Prompt: As in what you can do to be better prepped, even under the most un-predictable of occasions, so as to not get caught off guard, as I hoped to on 7-28-23 right here, in order to allow you the experience, so as to not repeat the same thing over and over, expecting a different result...

Ask-Simulate: As in asking another, your requested "handler" not to be easy on you, but ask you the toughest of questions ("any priors?") without any advanced notice...

Left to Your-Self: In the rare instance no-one is available, not even "Lexie" (my own truncated version of Alexa but when it's a given, rather than assumed name at birth, actually conveys "defender of mankind" -- completely unplanned, spontaneous, but nice co-incidence, eh?) -- in the rare case you can always, no matter the time or space, carry on an internal (mono)Logue, an honest, up-to-date compilation of what you have learned about yourself in this whole arena (school, work) that might actually enable you to...to actually, for once, "be hard on yourself...no time to ease up..." Which may actually, this one time, for once and for all, allow you to...

"Be Prepared" What I, as a "young lad" (pretty much archaic, fallen-out-of-fashion term for pre-teen-ish) began hearing about first from my dad, then other BS leaders, as a so-called "motto" and then, in the context of first aid, what my mom taught my Scout troop, what she also taught as a volunteer for the Red Cross when not full-filling her formal duties as an RN (never really "off duty" and all-ways prepared). And then, more globally, in what we were told, "in the unlikely event...in the case of disaster..." what it took to really be prepared, as in "Civil Defense" -- broadly speaking..."Take cover!"

"Got your attention?!" Implied, tacitly speaking "Come to...attention!" Or, more casually, in the comfort of my office, as your host..."Now that I've brought this to your attention...made you more aware, self-enlightened even..."

"Back to the matter, at hand" Or what's in your hand, what soon will be, if you are job seeking for the very first time or seeking "advance-meant" -- the whole consideration and discussion (to follow here, of course) of what it takes to correctly, let alone strategically, fill out the pre-employ-meant...APP. Come back if you want to be...

"Considered"...