Bo Beats The Odds: How the First Pooch Secured One of the Most High-Profile Jobs In Washington

Being that President Obama publicly promised to bring in a White House pup for his girls, the First Pooch position is probably the most widely publicized job opening in the world. You gotta imagine that there were thousands of pups lined up to be top dog. So, how did Bo do it?

Well, first off, he’s the right age. Let’s face it, even though everyone likes to think that age-ism doesn’t exist when hiring, the sad, unfortunate truth is, it does. We humans can try to mask our age by leaving out a few ancient jobs as well as our college graduation dates when it comes to our resumes. At least, in this manner, we can get our foot in the door and get an interview before our resumes hit the can. Dogs have to work a little harder to appear younger. For starters they have to constantly run around in circles chasing their tails, which is exhausting. I even heard rumors that groomers across the country were booked for weeks with dogs waiting for dye jobs to hide their graying whiskers.

But President Obama is no Bush – he can read between the fur lines. Bo, at 6 months, just had to show his birth certificate and prove his blood line and he could be in…in like Rin Tin Tin.

Since Malia is allergic to dog fur, the #1 requirement in the job description for the first pup was that he or she be hypoallergenic. As a Portuguese Water Dog, Bo had that one in the bag. Now, he just needed needed someone to introduce him to the first family.

Statistics say that the best way to get a job is to network. Call everyone you know and let them know you are looking for a job. If you see an ad for a posting, dig into the dark recesses of your mind to determine if you know someone who works at the company (or head to ZoomInfo or LinkedIn to find an old friend or acquaintance). Then call that person and see if he or she can help introduce you to the powers that be.

Well, here’s where Bo really used his noggin. Through the “canine chat chain,” he was able to arrange a meeting with the Kennedy dogs and their master, who he promptly charmed with his puppy prowess. Once he had the Senator on his side, he was two steps away from getting the job of his dreams.

When Senator Kennedy gave the pup to the Obama’s as a gift, Bo knew he had one leg up in the interview process. But he also knew he had to be on his best behavior (and that meant keeping the other leg down). So, he followed up with his best version of a “thank you,” a swift bow and lots of licks.

And there you have it, a textbook version of how to get the job of a lifetime.

Carpe Diem…