Bozoma Saint John has worked at Pepsi, Uber, Apple Music, Endeavor, and Pepsi over the years, eventually rising to the position of head of marketing at Netflix (before leaving in March 2022). Yet, she did so without a resume, as she details in her most recent memoir, The Urgent Life: My Story of Love, Loss, and Survival.The book describes how Saint John was unable to access her resume after his passing because he was in charge of maintaining and enhancing it. A significant portion of the book revolves on the pain and lessons she learned through losing her loving husband Peter to cancer. That all of a sudden became a problem when she was applying for the top position at Beats (now Apple Music).
“During the course of the following several weeks, there was a flurry of phone calls, which culminated in a conversation with Jimmy and Dre. The meetings went well, and I had faith that I would receive an offer. The next thing Saint John says is, “Judy, the company’s human resources person, called and asked if I could send my resume. “You’d think all I had to do was log onto Microsoft Word, locate a template, and type up all the professional things I’d accomplished. But I was numb. A blip that I once could have easily fixed turned into a challenge that appeared difficult to overcome in the midst of my trauma over Peter’s passing.
I was at a loss for what to do. I was too ashamed to admit to my friends that I had no idea how to construct a simple CV. Yet I was concerned that not providing a resume may be a deal-breaker. Although I had been angry with God for not communicating to me, I now needed him. I prayed while seated in front of Peter’s laptop. I said, “I need this change. I’m interested in this position. Make this mess of a resume disappear, please.
Judy didn’t have a resume, so Saint John emailed her and inquired as to whether a brief bio would be sufficient. Judy concurred, saying, “They’ll care neither way since they want you so strongly.” “And that was it,” continues Saint John.
