Now THIS is a job interview.
More than 1,300 people applied for ONE opening as a clue writer for JEOPARDY!And I can understand why.
Salary: $138,000–$172,000 a year, with potential annual incentives and benefits.
For the first time in the 42-year history of the modern show, Jeopardy! publicly advertised an opening for a full-time clue writer after one of its eight writers retired following 30 years on the job.
Imagine trying to land this position.
Applicants had to take the same online test prospective Jeopardy! contestants take.
Then they had to create more than an entire show's worth of original categories and clues.
But here's what fascinated me most:
Writing a Jeopardy! clue isn't simply about knowing obscure facts.
The writers have to construct each clue carefully enough that it leads contestants toward ONE unambiguous response — while simultaneously deciding how much information to provide to make that clue easier or harder.
And they do this at an incredible scale.
More than 25,000 clues aired across the Jeopardy! franchise last year.
I've watched this show for years and never really thought about the people behind that board.
Someone researches every subject.
Someone creates every category.
Someone writes every clue.
Someone verifies every fact.
Someone determines whether you should know it for $200...
or stare at your television completely confused for $2,000.
And somebody gets paid up to $172,000 a year to do it.
There are some fascinating jobs in this world.
This is definitely one of them.
Now the real question:
Could you have made it through the Jeopardy! hiring process?