I didn’t get the job

English translation: below

11:12 Jul 7, 2016

English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Bus/Financial - Management

English term or phrase: I didn’t get the job

Hello everyone,

Another good example is Jack Klues, former CEO of Vivaki, the media-buying arm of Publicis Groupe. Publicis had consolidated many separate media operations to increase its purchasing power with the likes of Google and Yahoo
and to consolidate expertise in digital advertising. The job entailed weaving together disparate talents to exploit the new economies of scale. Klues described his role: “I’ve always thought my job was to be a ‘connector.’ I see myself as connecting interesting and smart pieces in new and different ways … I was the one person about whom the other twenty media directors could say: ‘Yeah, we’ll work for him.’ And I think they all thought they were smarter than me in their particular areas, and they were probably right. But the job was about bringing the parts together. ***I didn’t get the job***, because I knew something they didn’t know, and that something became the Holy Grail.

The phrase "I didn’t get the job" in the last sentence makes no sense to me.
What does Jack mean?

My guess is that the intended meaning was: I wasn't doing the job they (the other twenty media directors) did, i.e. my job was different from theirs.

Thank you.

Mikhail Korolev KudoZ activity Questions: 2412 (2 open) (10 closed without grading) Answers: 130
Local time: 10:54

Selected answer:below

Explanation:
the reason I DID get the job was NOT because I knew something they didn't know...

rephrased

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Note added at 41 mins (2016-07-07 11:53:53 GMT)
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possibly?

Selected response from:

Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 09:54

Grading comment

Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, Cilian.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

3 +4

below

Cilian O'Tuama

3 +2

Below

Phoenix III

No me dieron el trabajo

José J. Martínez

Summary of reference entries provided

Comments only

Taña Dalglish

Answers

34 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

i didn’t get the job

below

Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 09:54
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, Cilian.

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

i didn’t get the job Below

Explanation:
It was not a question of knowledge rather a question of weaving talents. Both parties (They vs. him) were at opposite ends. Where they were thinking knowledge, he was thinking about connecting. Two disparate worlds. So, he didn't get the job NOT because he knew or didn't (for that matter)...

Phoenix III
United States
Local time: 03:54
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish

6 hrs confidence:

i didn’t get the job No me dieron el trabajo

Explanation:
Parece texto fuente de verbal a escrito, un poco inpreciso.

José J. Martínez
United States
Local time: 00:54
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 4

Reference comments

2 hrs peer agreement (net): +1

Reference: Comments only

Reference information:
http://www.shadowsgovernment.com/shadows-library/Act Like a ... (see page 36). This excerpt comes from the Book authored by Herminia Ibarra, "Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader" (Harvard Business Review Press). **"I didn’t get the job, because I knew something they didn’t know, and that something became the Holy Grail."**

http://brandedcontent.adage.com/pdf/Publicis_Centenary_09-18...
AD AGE Digital technologies have resulted in consumer control.
Do you see that as one of the biggest things driving the industry?
MR. LÉVY There are three things that will change our world.
***The first one is the fact that we have digitization, which is
changing society and all the means of communication within it.
We also have interactivity, which is changing the way we are
communicating, because the holy grail for us adpeople is the
feedback.** We are doing a lot of research on the reaction of the
consumer. This is our passion. This is our angst, also. And the
best way to do it is obviously through the Internet, where you
get immediate reaction.

Comments:
1) I disagree with PhilG (a comma after "job" (or lack thereof) makes no difference to what is being said. It is a quote from Ms. Ibarra's book regarding Jack Klues.
2) In researching, I can only make assumptions, and that is: 1) Klues' job was primarily that of "a connector", and Klues was a "bridge" (Ibarra's book speaks of "hubs" vs. bridges"; 2) Klues' philosophy which was termed the "Holy Grail" seems to stem on feedback, which may have differed greatly to the philosophy of the "other twenty media directors" whose saw their role as "hubs"; 3) I know I am making a lot of assumptions, but I can only think that Klues did not get the job (whatever job that may have been), as his philosophy did not match with that of the other media directors; 4) Klues experience extends over 35 years, so it is very difficult to pinpoint through research what is being referred to here, but again, I am assuming it was around the time of the emerging digital advertising age, and Klues was at the forefront of this push.

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Note added at 4 hrs (2016-07-07 16:12:08 GMT)
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Klp: I have no idea what you mean by "Could I specify one thing? You think that he didn't get the job because of his phrase "I didn’t get the job" itself, or is there something in the text that indicates it as well?" You have the same text I have (the reference to Ms. Ibarra's book). I wrote comments, which I clearly said are assumptions on my part. I have no idea what job Klues is referencing! I certainly don't think that his being CEO of VivaKi has anything to do his getting the job or not! It may well be that the "job" was a "deal" being put together at the time (whatever period that may have been) - I don't know! I cannot answer your question(s) definitively and I've already provided assumptions under Comments, points 1) and 2). KLP, I cannot add anymore to the discussion as I have no idea what period of time, nor the "job/deal" involved (bear in mind this is an extract from Ibarra's book!).

Taña Dalglish
Jamaica
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

Note to reference poster

Asker: Thank you, Taña. Could I specify one thing? You think that he didn't get the job because of his phrase "I didn’t get the job" itself, or is there something in the text that indicates it as well?

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)

neutral

Cilian O'Tuama: So they didn't give him the job because he knew something they didn't? And how would they know that? //You mean it makes no sense to you! E.g. I got the job, not because I was the best (but because no one else wanted it).

13 mins

-> If you can find references to Ms. Ibarra's book, be my guest! I've provided my comments but I know nothing for certain, but your proposal "the reason I DID get the job was NOT because" makes no sense.//I give up! WHATEVER!!!!! The quote says "DIDN'T"!

neutral

philgoddard: But he DID get the job. He was CEO of Vivaki, and he got it not because he knew more than the other potential candidates, but because he was good at bringing people together.

14 mins

-> Phil, you have clearly not read the link which I posted more than once, or you just choose to ignore facts: see page 37 of link quoted (1st one) and it is clear that he DID NOT get the job, whatever that job was (the author is Herminia Ibarra).

agree

acetran

3 days 18 hrs

-> Thanks.

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