There’s a particular art to navigating professional landscapes that university degrees never address. It’s about reading environments intuitively – or in my case, reading a swimming pool – and understanding that success requires cultural fluidity rather than rigid adherence to expectations.

I arrived in London fresh from Amsterdam, carrying a mixed bag of professional experiences – editor, broadcaster, executive assistant – and that uniquely Dutch blend of directness and pragmatic adaptability.

Recruiters seemed to sense something in me that hinted at an ability to slide between professional worlds with the ease of changing languages.

When professional interviews happen poolside

My job interview with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach for an event organiser role remains deeply etched in my memory precisely because it was gloriously, unapologetically unconventional.

Picture this: a blisteringly hot London day, a suburban garden, an Orthodox rabbi throwing inflatable balls with his children while conducting a job interview.

I’m perched on a garden chair, three-piece suit wilting in the heat, feeling simultaneously out of place and strangely at ease.

He wasn’t interested in Oxford credentials or knowledge of Jewish culture. Instead, he wanted to understand how I’d curate intellectual conversations.

“Who would you invite to address an audience on what matters more: character or beauty?” Without missing a beat, I responded, “Stevie Wonder.”

The rabbi’s face lit up, not because of the answer itself but because I’d demonstrated lateral thinking, seeing beyond obvious conventions.

It was a masterclass in cultural fluidity. Here was a man known for disrupting traditional Jewish community narratives, who’d written bestselling books about kosher sex, who moved in circles with Madonna and Michael Jackson.

And here was I, a Dutch migrant with imposter syndrome bubbling beneath the surface, trying to determine whether I could step into this wildly unpredictable professional universe.

Transforming imposter syndrome into professional insight

Imposter syndrome whispers that you’re not enough, that you don’t belong. But what if – and this is the radical proposition – what if not belonging is actually your greatest strength? What if your outsider status allows you to see connections others might miss?

I ultimately turned down the role. Not because the opportunity wasn’t fascinating, but because the underlying economic dynamics felt off. The office manager had been instructed to offer me a salary below her own, a subtle power play that didn’t align with my sense of professional worth.

Walking away wasn’t failure—it was self-respect.

Months after I had started in a different role, the rabbi messaged me to ask how I was getting on – and if I would reconsider. 

Cultivating cultural fluidity as a professional superpower

This isn’t just about one unusual interview. It’s about developing the courage to sit metaphorically poolside in your three-piece suit, sweating but composed, ready to engage with whatever professional curveball comes your way.

It’s understanding that your value isn’t determined by how perfectly you fit predefined roles, but by your ability to think creatively, adapt quickly and maintain integrity.

In the years since, I’ve worked with organisations ranging from government departments to cutting-edge tech firms. Each transition required similar skills: reading unspoken cultural codes, translating between different professional languages, finding human connection beneath bureaucratic structures.

For knowledge workers – people who think for a living, whether their job title is editor, accountant or executive assistant -, cultural fluidity becomes our secret weapon.

We are the cultural translators, the bridge builders, the ones who understand that professional success isn’t about rigid conformity but about emotional intelligence and adaptive thinking.

Embracing difference as professional advantage

My advice? Embrace those swimming pool interviews that punctuate your career.

Be curious. Be brave. Recognise that your differences aren’t obstacles but extraordinary advantages.

Your unique background – whether you’re an immigrant, a career changer or someone who simply doesn’t fit traditional moulds – isn’t a liability. It’s potentially your most powerful professional asset.

Because ultimately, the most interesting careers aren’t written in straight lines. They’re more like jazz: improvised, surprising, creating beauty from unexpected combinations.