December 16, 2011
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Interview How To #947

You’ve got a killer resume that went through the filters straight into the hands of the hiring decision maker.

You’ve got a relevant, conversational, and professional cover letter.

And now, the interview.

Hopefully, the person interviewing you is savvy enough to use a mix of behavioral, theoretical, and informational questions. (More about those later…) But, unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Most times, hiring managers are still using outdated materials to make decisions about who to hire.

One of the most dreaded outdated questions is “What are your weaknesses?” Rather than go the Michael Scott route and answer that question with a not-so-clever response, use the question to your advantage.

When you read the initial job description, were there skills in the description that you don’t really have? For example, HTML might not be your strong suit. And the hiring manager asks you “Tell me some of your weaknesses.” This is your chance to respond with something like “You know, I’m not so great at HTML. I’ve learned a bit, but it’s not really my strong suit. I would love a chance to learn, though, and I’ve been looking into some classes that I could take after work to teach me this new skill. I think I could be fully functioning in that environment within a couple of weeks and because I’d be learning the latest information available, that could really help the company be right on the cutting edge.”

Remember, don’t just say “I’m weak in ____ area” and leave it at that. This is about a beneficial agreement between you and the company to make that weakness a strength. It’s also a good idea to think for a minute like the hiring manager – you’re hiring this position because your company has a need and a pain point. Keep in mind that pain point is keeping that manager up at night. Think about what you would want in an employee you are hiring. Would you want someone who was interviewing for the position and demanding all sorts of accommodations? No, you’re going to pick the person who can meet the need and solve the pain point and give you some much-needed rest at night!

So, list the following key points in your response:

1) You really want to improve in this area

2) You have been doing research (not expecting them to do the research for you) on options to learn more

3) Those options won’t interfere with normal work hours and workload

4) Include a timeline of when you think you could be up and running, so they know it won’t be 5 or 6 months before the pain point is resolved.

5) Also, include a benefit to choosing this option.

A quick word about #5 – hiring managers will always have a ton of applicants to choose from. It’s not just ‘this economy’ that creates that. Applicants abound. Always. Applicants always abound. It’s not just the economy. (I’m repeating it because it bears repeating.) What hiring managers will not always have is qualified, happy, willing applicants. Even in any economy, finding those applicants is a difficult task.

So, when you say in an interview that you want to improve a skill, it shows that you are willing and you can be happy learning a new skill. Then, the benefit is furthered to the company by offering a new qualification that will not only help with the pain point, but be useful in the future on other tasks.

We’ll talk more later about how to offer this information even if the hiring manager doesn’t ask a question like this one. For now, though, take a deep breath and start crafting your interview answers to reflect your unique methods and talents.

Filed Under: Interview
November 30, 2011
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Do then know

Calendar

A quirky, funny little movie I love, offers this gem:

“If you’ve ever seen the look on somebody’s face the day they finally get a job – I’ve had some experience with this – they look like they could fly. And its not about the paycheck, it’s about respect, it’s about looking in the mirror and knowing that you’ve done something valuable with your day.”

Sometimes, we have a responsibility to hold off on feeling good or useful until we’ve met an important goal or accomplished a great feat. It can be important to face a project with a lack of ego or pride.

Most times, though, a feeling of value and worth must precede the success. These fantastic feelings fuel and motivate us as we pursue difficult projects. The greater the difficulty, the more motivation required.

Continuing the quote:

“And if one person could start to feel this way, and then another person, and then another person, soon all these other problems may not seem so impossible. You don’t really know how much you can do until you stand up and decide to try.”

Give it a shot.
What is really fantastic about you?
And how can that help you fuel a goal and future success?

Filed Under: Inspire, Starting Out
November 11, 2011
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Not much for speeches

Wisdom like this is a rare thing.

Filed Under: Inspire
October 31, 2011
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How to stand out from a crowd

In a job search (or any search for that matter), it can be tempting to target every possible job that one could possibly apply for. It can be very easy to get caught up in the thinking that every opportunity is suitable, every job opening is one that should be applied for, listing every skill on one’s resume is a good idea…

The best way to stand out in any search is to target a specific result. Stand out by saying “I’m looking for a management position in logistics only.” Stand out by removing anything on the resume that doesn’t have to do with precisely what you are looking for. Make your target known and watch how others line up to help you find the specific and precise outcome.

The tricky part to any search is wondering how it will turn out. Make that outcome what you want by eliminating what you don’t want. When given the option between going left and right, it can be tempting to say “I could go either.” Instead, choose one or the other.

Choosing and specifying can be scary when we’ve been taught to keep contingency plans open. However, it’s the only way to get what you really want.

Stand out by eliminating, choosing, and ultimately doing what makes you happiest.

Filed Under: Job Search
October 14, 2011
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Big Spiders

I am afraid of spiders.
I’m getting over my fear of spiders.
I used to be afraid of spiders.

All of these are valid statements for me.
The first is sort of definitive and prison-ish, though, don’t you think? “I am afraid of spiders” traps me in that fear.

I like the last two statements because they allow for the possibility of a future where I don’t have to gingerly approach every dark floor or worry when I camp outside or feel a high level of anxiety at the cabin or, or, or…

Particularly the last statement. I can say that right now, even though I still feel fear. I can say that in this moment, I used to be afraid of spiders because it’s true. I did used to be afraid of spiders. And right now, I’m working on that fear. It’s still valid, even though I’m playing a little with the time.

(I’m taking a deep breath right now.)

Some other good, small changes:

  1. I used to be so afraid of spiders, I could not even approach one. Now, I feel that fear once in awhile.
  2. You know how I used to be frozen with terror anytime a spider was in the room? Yeah, now I just scream a lot while pointing at it so someone else will kill it.
  3. If a spider is in the room and another person is there who is afraid of spiders, I can muster the courage to mash it.
  4. I’m no longer afraid of small spiders, and big ones are still fear-inducing right now.
Note the language: “right now”, “If… then”, “Used to be… now”
Want to conquer that fear (or sadness, or depression, or terror, or anxiety….)?
Try changing what you’re saying and labeling the fear, first.
Filed Under: Inspire, Job Search, Starting Out
October 13, 2011
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Make It So

I used to look at guys like this and think “Well, it was easy for him: he knew what his passion was.” But did he? Did he really know before he started actually doing the work that it was his passion? How could he have possibly known that before he took any action?

Sometimes ya gotta do before you know.

This video is pretty inspiring for a lot of reasons, but the most important question to ask yourself while watching is: am I waiting until I ‘know for sure’ before I act on behalf of my dreams?

The million dollar question: what suffering in the world could have been prevented while you waited to ‘know for sure’ before taking action?

Filed Under: Inspire, Starting Out
October 10, 2011
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Magic

Don’t you just love going to a restaurant and having someone else do the cooking and serving and cleaning?

I sure do.

We went to Olive Garden the other night because we were tired and needed a break from a couple of bad days. While there, we had a fantastic server – a true talent in her field.

At the end of the meal, she left our bill with a couple of yummy mints and this:

On the flip side, it said “It was my pleasure serving you.” From the experience we’d just had with her, I believed every word. The card may have been provided/mandated by her company, but her talent made it believable.

When was the last time you validated someone else’s experience with your work? With your service? With your talent?
When was the last time you made someone believe your words?

Filed Under: Inspire
October 9, 2011
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Precious

“But there’s an alchemy in time
transforms each grief and loss and scar
into the precious stuff of who we are”
–Stephen Schwartz

When you think of the word “precious”, what do you think of? And how does that correlate to what you contribute to the world?

I suspect you may be calculating and tracking the hard work you’ve put in, the love you’ve invested, the hardships you’ve suffered, the betrayals you’ve endured, the pain it all caused…

And yet – are you valuing the person it made you? Do you like what you’ve become? Do you truly see the outcome of all your difficult times as “precious”?

I suspect you devalue that outcome because it seems like a betrayal of your pain.
Perhaps it’s time to change that?
Time to truly see the results of your suffering as worthy of joy?
Time to begin calculating your incredible contributions?

You’re the only one who can make that call.

Filed Under: Inspire, Job Search
October 6, 2011
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Talent

I was chatting with a friend today about the word “talent”. She said that she had always associated the word “talent” with things like singing and acting onstage.

I insisted that talent can relate to anything. She responded “I know that, but do you really want people to think that what you do is help them with singing and stuff?”

Yes. Yes I do.

What I do is help people figure out what they love doing and then help them figure out how to do it. What I hope to do is change the meaning of the word ‘talent’ so that it reverberates within each person as a sign of their worth. Talent doesn’t only happen on a stage or in an interaction. Talent is finding what makes you move forward. Talent is what you see in the mirror. Talent is your particular brand of uniqueness. Talent is you.

I intend to re-brand the meaning of talent, it’s gotten a bad rep in these difficult times of “economic fear”. I intend to elevate talent back to where it belongs: something to aspire to, something to hope for and work for.

My definition?
Talent is liking yourself.

Filed Under: Inspire, Job Search