This past Sunday, the political news shows and even the New York Times were all about Sarah Palin's next career move. Everyone seemed to be guessing as to what her next job was going to be and why she resigned the job she had.
That's where I come in. I'm Stephen Viscusi, a headhunter and author of two books on the workplace. My most recent book is called Bulletproof Your Job (HarperCollins), and I'm the founder of a company called www.BulletproofYourResume.com.
Let me be clear. Using no legitimate sources and acknowledging in advance that this is purely my own unsubstantiated conjecture, but speaking as a workplace expert, I'd like to scoop the rest of my fellow journalists by suggesting that Barbara Walters hire Sarah Palin to fill in for Elisabeth Hasselbeck, while she's on maternity leave, on ABC's The View.
Everyone else in the world has had their opinion, why not me? After all finding jobs for people and giving career advice is my business. So, I figured I should add my hypothetical two cents.
Barbara Walters is the grand dame, not only of interviewing, but she's also one of the smartest TV producers and ratings grabbers in the history of television. Barbara, not that you need me to tell you this, but Palin would be a great addition to your superstar show, The View.
The fact that Hasselbeck will be leaving soon anyway for maternity leave allows Barbara to slip Palin in without insulting Hasselbeck, the resident conservative.
Whoopi Goldberg, who is the moderator and always a consummate professional, may not agree with the politics of Palin, but she's no ratings dummy. She will politely transition in Palin, who will no doubt get a cold shoulder from the Joy Behar.
Doesn't this make perfect headhunting career advice?
Do you think it's a coincidence that Palin is resigning her office at the end of July and Hasselbeck is expected to give birth at the beginning of August?
I even have a "Plan B" for Palin if Walters passes up on my headhunting suggestion. Fox could grab Palin and give her her own morning show. Sort of a counter-programming to MSNBC's Morning Joe, which could be called Morning Sarah.
If Fox does a Morning Sarah, Palin could talk about being a mom and attract the majority of Americans who still consider themselves moderate while making moose burgers on the set with Martha Stewart as her guest. "Morning Joe" is sponsored by Starbucks while Palin's show is more middle America and could naturally be sponsored by Dunkin Donuts. After all, "America runs on Dunkin."
Well, that's my unsolicited career headhunting advice for the networks and Palin. Let me know what you think.
You're always welcome to write me with your career dilemmas, and I'll answer you on this column.
Disclaimer: The scenarios and events portrayed in this article are products of the author's imagination.
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Stephen Viscusi is the author of two books about jobs and the workplace. Charles Gibson from ABC's World News calls Viscusi, "America's Workplace Guru". Email Viscusi at: stephen@viscusi.com.
His disciples can be celebrities, politico, world leaders, heads of industry, and some are just ordinary people who write him for advice. It's like Tony Robbins advising Al Gore or Deepak Chopra advising Michael Jackson (wait, scratch that one).