I fake my way into large-scale events, red carpets and movie premieres all the time, but this one was pretty ballsy, given it had the potential to affect my professional reputation.

The year: 2010.

The place: A (redacted) place that (redacted) to (redacted). Small fish in the big scheme of things.

The Setting:

First, when I did research on the company, the (redacted) agency I partnered with accidently sent me the info for the company next to it, so when I walked into the waiting room I started talking to the receptionist about paper clips and supplies. She seemed a little weirded out as to why I took an interest into her paperclips, but indulged me nonetheless.

When I sat down, confident in my research of paper supplies and binder clips, I started looking around the waiting room. It was full of aerospace magazines, pictures of jets, and models of planes, jets, and space shuttles on the table. I slowly got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I casually (about as casually as an elephant in a glass warehouse) asked her just exactly what it was the company did again? She explained they were in aerospace and did blah blah blah. I was like "Ohhhh. Yeah. Which.... is why I mentioned the paperclips. These machines are like the clips of wings." I have no idea what she thought but I actually said something like this, I'm sure red-faced.

About 20 minutes go by and the HR MGR greets me. I'm nervous af. He sits me down in a room with 3 other managers and they all start telling me about the start of aerospace and the role I would play if I got the position. I had absolutely NO idea what they were talking about. None. Zero. So, how on earth did I land the job, you ask? I simply repeated everything back to them.

None of these questions are real, but they are as close as I can recall to the actual interview:

Manager 1: Are you familiar with something something IRS form 3?

Me: IRS Form 3? Oh my, let me tell you about IRS Form 3! It is a bane to my existence. (Laughs)

(They laugh with me).

Manager 2: What is your experience in dealing with fiduciary blah blah blah?

Me: In my experience, I find fiduciary blah blah blah to be seamless, provided you have the right tools (I start getting confidence at this point.)

Manager 3: If exhibit A caused a collision with reference B, what accounting field would you use?

Me: Well, if exhibit A caused a collision with reference B, the accounting field would depend on all of the variables in which were played into affect. (I professionally lock eyes with the one closer to my age and they immediately bond with me)

Manager 4: (Skeptically) Earlier in the interview, you mentioned you were familiar with form X. Could you clarify your familiarly with form X?

Me: (Nervously - locking eyes with them as they are serious). Yeah, sure. I do apologize if I wasn't clear earlier, but form X is an instrumental tool when you're working in a captive market (I nervously fumble my words here but laugh it off). Sorry, I meant to say, vendor sourced market.... you know, different industry has different terms. I believe the thing you call "Form X" might be the thing I call "Form Y." I think it just depends on the software.

Again, none of these questions were real but they were pretty close to what was actually asked and how I responded.

I worked there for about a year before they caught on that I knew very little of Accounting and even less in Aerospace. It wasn't for lack of trying. I watched a ton of online tutorials and all, but this job required at least a degree or 4 in that specific field.

I am sharing this because for the most part, you can talk your way into any job, and learn as you go.

Edit: Reddit Edited the Setting.