There is no "gimme" in a job search

For most weekend amateurs, any putt within five feet is "inside the leather" or a "gimme".  Unless there is money on the line in a friendly foursome and the pressure is on.  So when Phil Mickelson lined up his putt of 5' 1" on the 72nd hole of Pebble Beach, the golfing world assumed he would make it to force a playoff.  It was a "no-brainer" kind of gimme for someone as good as Phil.  He even said afterward that he felt there was "no chance" he would miss it.  Well, he did.  He lipped it out, virtually handing the victory (and subsequent $1.26 million check) to someone else.

The really maddening part of the saga is that he drained much more difficult putts on the 70th and 71st hole to even get the chance to force the playoff on the 72nd hole, merely one stroke back of the leader.  A few things went wrong, which can also go wrong in the final stretch of an interview.

1)  He didn't think he could miss.  While on the one hand you could argue that is confidence, I believe he likely looked ahead a little.  Starting to prepare for the playoff and what it could mean, he didn't give enough attention to the actual putt.  Companies sometimes do this with candidates.  They have gone through a long and strenuous interview process, believe it is a done deal, and then don't focus on making sure the process is complete.  I had this happen recently where a candidate narrowed their choice down to two companies, admitted to us that our client was his first choice, we assumed the offer would be accepted, and the other company swooped in and made all kinds of accommodations with their offer.  They really went after the candidate, while we simply waited for the signed acceptance letter to come in.  Could we have changed the eventual outcome?  Hard to know for sure, but we certainly could have done some things differently.  No chance for a playoff if you don't make the first putt to get there.

2)  He didn't want it badly enough.  Again, I think we could all agree this is unlikely, but really think about it for a second.  Here's a guy who has won 42 times on tour, makes over $40 million a year, and is likely nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career.  Sure another trophy would be great, but do you really think he is waking up this morning agonizing over this being a game-changer in his legacy?  Doubtful.  I am sure he is disappointed, but he is more likely preparing for his next tournament and especially the next major.  Candidates and companies alike in final stages sometimes don't invest too much emotionally because they've "been there before" and don't really care if a particular offer is accepted or not.  I think this is incredibly short-sighted.  If you have invested the time and energy to interview someone, and then decided to extend an offer, you should really want it to be accepted.  Always put your best foot forward and go for the win.

3)  He was nervous and uncertain.  I don't think Phil gets too terribly nervous any more, but he is human after all.  For some unknown reason maybe he did really want this one and yanked the putt a little because of his nerves.  Employers and candidates alike get nervous when it gets to be the goal line as it means some tough decisions, maybe even life-altering decisions, are about to be made.  If you don't treat that with the right level of respect, little things could go wrong.  Stick with your process, especially if it is a good one, and go through all of the appropriate steps to really close out an offer with a candidate.

I know I've made a lot of assumptions here regarding what was going through Phil's mind yesterday afternoon.  I do know for sure that he wishes he had made that putt to force the playoff.  Any good competitor would want that opportunity.  So when considering what to do in final stages of an interview, be reminded of what is necessary to really close out a deal.  Maybe Phil's misfortune could be a tipping or learning point for you.  I know it was a good one for me!