The wrong name that changed both our lives

Some of the best stories don’t start with a strategy. They start with a typo.

A number of years ago (when I was job hunting), I got a message from a recruiter I had been waiting to hear from. I was already in the mix for a role I was genuinely excited about. Someone had quietly passed along my name, and I knew the message was coming.

Then it arrived.

The message was warm, professional, and thoughtful. But it was addressed to someone else.

Not just the wrong name, but a very specific, unusual name. One I didn’t expect. So I did what anyone would do — I Googled it.

And I recognised her.

We weren’t friends. We hadn’t worked together. But we were connected in that loose, “I’ve seen her name around” kind of way.

I gently replied, clarified the mix-up, and confirmed my interest. The recruiter was lovely and quick to correct course. The process began.

Staying the course

What I didn’t mention — what I couldn’t mention at the time — was that I knew who my competition was. And I also knew she was local, while I wasn’t. In the country I live in, that can sometimes be the deciding factor. Language, cultural familiarity, unwritten codes of fit.

So yes — I was nervous.

But I kept that to myself, stayed focused, and moved through the process with everything I had.

And I got the job.

It felt incredible. Not just because I landed the role, but because I proved to myself that being an outsider doesn’t mean being out of the running.

A full-circle moment

Months later, another opportunity came across my radar at a company I had worked with before and trusted. As soon as I read the job description, she came to mind.

The woman from the email. The accidental name-drop.

We still weren’t close, but I reached out anyway. I told her about the role and asked if she’d be open to a quick chat. She said yes.

I made a warm intro.

She interviewed.

She got the job.

And here’s the thing

That moment didn’t help me directly. I didn’t need anything in return. I just thought of her. And decided to act on it.

There are a lot of people right now struggling to find meaningful work. Talented, capable humans who are one warm intro away from their next big break.

What if we all had a bit more of a “Wing Person” mindset? What if we paid attention, even when there’s nothing in it for us? What if we remembered that success isn’t a limited resource?

For anyone in this position — whether you’re the one being helped or not — karma comes around in the best ways possible.

We might just make the world a little bit easier to navigate.

One typo, one intro, one moment at a time.

#HumanConnection #CareerKarma #WingPeople #PayItForward #RightPlaceWrongName

‍