Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Reverend Robert Patterson, Sr. is the father of six children (five sons and one daughter) and the loving husband of Mrs. Linda Patterson. He is a grandfather as well as a great grandfather.
As a member of Walker Chapel AME Church (The Fifth District), he has served in various capacities, from the Usher Board to the Steward and Trustee Boards. He has taught both Sunday School and Bible Study and has served in each department to the best of his abilities
His life reads like a road map—he is a Vietnam ERA Veteran (U.S.M.C 1961 to 1970) and a graduate of San Diego State University (Class of 1975). He has served as a cable television news reporter, (Oceanside, CA), and has been host of Behind the Truth, Employment Counselor Specialist, (Operation SER), Counselor-Testing Specialist, Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee (MAAC), Coordinator of Manpower, CETA Area Training Center (at Palomar Community College), Transitional Assistance Program Instructor (TAP), was Director of Personal Affairs (Camp Pendleton, CA), and coordinated the first ever Sickle Cell Anemia testing in Oceanside, just to name a few of his many accomplishments.
Reverend Patterson is a strong advocate of education and cultural awareness. He likes teaching and having the interaction and discussion of both Bible Study and Sunday School with the congregation in order to get down to the nitty gritty and still be brief, be specific, and be seated. As he is fond of saying, “The day that you stop seeking knowledge is the day that you most surely are dead.”
We interviewed Robert to find out more about his exciting new book, Five Steps to C.A.L.M. (Career and Life Management).
Q. Thank you for this interview, Robert. They say everyone has a book in them. Why did you feel a need to write this book?
A. I did my research all the years that I was teaching my seminars and the feedback that I was getting from the seminar participants inspired me to write this book.
Q. Can you give us a little bit of information about your past and how it played a role in writing this book?
A. I have been a motivational speaker for some fifteen years and during that time, I have addressed people from various levels of education and business in areas from personal appraisal, career exploration, strategies for an effective job search, interviews, reviewing job offers, and resume writing.
It was during that time that I came up with the idea of having people address themselves as the product, which would solve their customers’ (the employers’) problems.
Q. In your expert opinion, how can someone new who is just entering the workforce prepare himself or herself to make a better impression on their boss and colleagues?
A. Be prepared. Anticipate possible questions and practice answers to each of them. Research the company before the interview. Prepare questions to ask in the interview. Do a dry run going to the interview location before the day of your interview. Get a good night’s sleep before the interview. Review your research. Get up in time to shower and dress carefully. Know the name(s) of the interviewer(s) and how to pronounce them correctly.
Leave for the interview with plenty of time to spare. Make sure you know how to get there, where to park, and how much time to allow for traffic. Look good. Go to the interview neat and clean. Dress conservatively and comfortably. Avoid heavy makeup and trendy or flashy clothes or jewelry. Be punctual. Arrive fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Be aware of body language.
Turn off electronic devices (cell phone, pager, etc.). Offer a firm handshake. Stand or sit erect but comfortably. Sit down only after offered a chair. Lean forward in your chair and relax. Don’t fidget. Use eye contact, but don’t stare. Carry a portfolio. Show the interviewer that you planned ahead. Be enthusiastic. Have a positive attitude in the interview. Be friendly, but not casual.
