The Savvy Professional: Curiosity

Technical skills may get you an interview, but it’s the soft skills that will get you the job and keep you there. Most companies look for candidates who are creative and innovative. Curiosity is an essential component to creativity and innovation. Curious individuals tend to be the company’s superstar employees. These employees are typically highly engaged and interested in their work and take the initiative to explore new ways of doing things. They bring high levels of energy and fresh perspectives into the workplace. Curiosity is a driving force to keep learning new things. 

A strong desire to learn and experiment leads to new discoveries and innovation. To avoid stagnation, individuals need to continuously learn and improve, and companies need to create a workplace culture that encourages curiosity.

Curious employees tend to:

1. Pursue new knowledge
2. Do more than is required of them
3. Take initiative at work
4. Ask questions and search for out-of-the-box solutions
5. Recognize new opportunities and possibilities

A good career growth strategy is to learn to properly hone curiosity. It means evaluating learning needs and actively seeking learning as well as opportunities for personal and professional development. It also requires an open mind and a keen desire to dig deeper and look further than what’s obvious. It is our professional duty and responsibility to keep well-informed by asking questions and investigating possibilities. Asking questions is the key to unleashing excellence. The ability to ask the right questions is one of the most important professional skills. Powerful questions have a purpose and result in learning. Always ask yourself whether your question would generate new knowledge and insights. The right questions challenge assumptions, stimulate thinking, trigger insights, and drive progress.

To ask the right questions, always consider the three P’s: Purpose, Possibilities, and Progress.

• Purpose: what can be learned and achieved?
• Possibilities: what new ideas and paths can be generated?
• Progress: how to support development and growth?

Professional growth is all about having the right attitude towards work and personal and professional development. Employers look for people who are keen to develop and learn. Most jobs involve change, and employers want people who are adaptable, who would learn new things quickly and who would embrace change. Typical interview questions to gauge curiosity are:

1. Tell me something you have taught yourself in the last six months. How did you go about teaching yourself this new skill or idea, and what was the outcome?
2. Tell me about the last time you had to learn something new on the job. How did you go about learning it? What tools, if any, did you utilize?
3. Describe a work project that you volunteered for at work, even though you weren’t 100% sure you knew how to proceed at the beginning.
4. In which work areas are you really interested in expanding your knowledge? How do you intend to achieve this?
5. How do you stay on top of developments and trends in your field?

And again interviewers always ask what questions you have for them. Curious people will ask original questions. 

I invite you to record your answer to any of the questions above and share with me via Google Drive, Dropbox, or your favorite collaboration platform. I will respond to everyone within 3 business days but can commit to providing detailed feedback only to the first 5 who contact me.

More about interviewing skills in my next blog posts. Be sure to follow the savvy professional series for job search and interviewing tips and offers for free feedback and critique.

Email me at info@choicefulpath.com.

The Savvy Professional: Communication

We’ve seen a steady job growth for the past few years. But even though it seems it’s a candidate’s market, it is still a long process to land a good job in most industries. Yes, there are more jobs, but the competition is still fierce. What do employers want? In my Savvy Professional series I’ve been addressing critical skills for professional success in any line of work. Communication skills are perhaps the most sought after skills. Strong communication skills are a requirement for practically every job no matter the level within the organization. Communication skills refer to the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing with a wide variety of people effectively getting the message across as well as gaining and understanding information. Good communication skills are key to successful relationship at work and outside of work.

Communication is a two-way process of sending and receiving information. Effective communication is delivering the right information to the right people at the right time. Communication is successful only when both the sender and the receiver have a good understanding of the same information.

There is always a sender and a receiver in communication. The sender is the initiator of the message. It’s not enough to have brilliant ideas. Good communication is about the effective articulation and delivery of the message. The receiver needs to decode the message for complete understanding to be able to assign meaning to it and encode a response. The biggest communication challenge is that all too often we don’t listen to fully understand the message and get distracted trying to form a response. Effective communication requires that we hone our skills both in delivering and receiving messages. Here’s how:

As sender: Clearly understand the purpose and intent of your message and chose the delivery method accordingly. Often how you say something is more important than what you say. Look for clues of emotional response and comprehension.

As receiver: just listen. Give the speaker your full attention and avoid the temptation to respond. Ask questions to ensure you understood the message correctly. Fully consider the message and intention before responding.

In every exchange we are both the Sender and Receiver simultaneously. The best communicators are those who make a genuine effort to understand other people; those who can empathize with and understand the needs of others.

Job interviews are an opportunity to demonstrate your communication skills, from the first handshake to your closing statement. Practice and come prepared to talk about the company and the position. From the very beginning of the interview, you are given information, listen and respond appropriately. And ask questions. Don’t ask questions for the sake of asking. Ask questions that genuinely interest you about working for the company and the job. Curiosity is a desirable trait in talent. It’s good to come prepared, but it’s better to actively listen and let the good questions come to you within the context of the conversation. The best questions come from actively listening to what you're asked during the interview and coming up with just the right comments and questions. Interviews should be viewed as a two-way street. The employer’s job is to select the best candidate for the position. It is your job to determine whether this is the right company for you and how well the position fits within your career plan.

To learn more about asking great questions during an interview: 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2014/06/18/10-job-interview-questions-you-should-ask/#2d121c51191e

Thanks for following along. I’ll leave you with the following quote:

Watch your thoughts;

   They become words.

Watch your words;

   They become actions.

Watch your actions;

   They become habits.

Watch your habits;

   They become character.

Watch your character;

   It becomes your destiny.

                                ~Lao Tzu

More about interviewing skills in my next blog posts. Be sure to follow the savvy professional series for job search and interviewing tips and offers for free feedback and critique.

Email me at info@choicefulpath.com

The Savvy Professional: Commitment

Commitment is the courage to take action and work towards our goals without any guarantee of success. My grandmother used to say that the secret to success is stubbornness. While it’s often viewed as a negative trait, unwillingness to give up is crucial to achieving dreams and accomplishing goals. Commitment is the dreamcatcher safeguarding secret yearnings, the magic wand that turns dreams into reality.

My parents wanted my brother to learn to play the violin. After a very brief initial enthusiasm, he lost all motivation to practice playing and started viewing practicing as a dreaded chore. Lack of practice was frustrating to both my brother and his teacher. In an attempt to motivate my brother to practice, the teacher told him that in one of Paganini’s most memorable concerts one string on his violin suddenly snapped toward the end of the concert. Paganini kept playing. A few minutes later, to everyone’s surprise, a second string broke. But again, Paganini kept playing the classical masterpiece on just two strings. And then, lo and behold, a third string snapped. Standing on the big stage with three broken strings dangling, Paganini finished playing the piece with only one string. “You see” the old teacher exclaimed excitedly “this is commitment for you.” While very impressed with the story, my brother quit playing the violin that week telling my parents he simply didn’t feel the same level of commitment to learning, practicing or playing the violin, or any other musical instrument for that matter.

This is a lesson worth sharing. When you do work that matters giving up is not an option. Otherwise, quit while you are ahead, explore new possibilities, and pursue new dreams. Commitment means giving nothing less than 100% every single time. Sometimes in our career, we arrive at a point where it’s no longer fun. It is a part of the deal in striving to achieve long terms goals. Commitment means not giving up on a dream when the going gets tough. The difference between having a dream and making a dream a reality is staying the course. As it pertains to career success, commitment includes the actions we choose to take, the things we are willing to put up with and the effort we put in. Commitment and hard work will position you for long-term career success.

Some clients (and their parents) believe that not graduating from a top ranking school or starting their career with a great company or landing the perfect job, would have a long- lasting detrimental effect on their career advancement and success. It’s important to note that most people do not start where they want. Where we start doesn’t determine where we end. Yes, certain schools and employers may give candidates an edge, but nothing beats commitment and hard work. When you are clear on what you want, the “how to” will follow. Career advancement is a marathon, not a sprint. Commitment is about:

1.      Hard work: it takes a lot of work to make dreams come true. Start from where you are and work with what you’ve got.
2.      Adopting the right mindset: excuses come a dime a dozen. Push yourself to always do what it takes.
3.      Patience: You can’t rush professional growth. It takes time to reach long-term goals.
4.      Perseverance: if there’s a will there’s a way. Nothing worthwhile is easy, stay focused.
5.      Growth: we crawl before you walk. Skills are developed over time.

Employers look for candidates who are intrinsically motivated and committed to personal development. In addition, employers try to identify those candidates who demonstrate commitment to work hard, do well, and achieve organizational goals. Behavioral interview questions explore candidates’ motivational skills and commitment to job responsibilities and the organization. Employee turnover is expensive and disruptive. Candidates are expected to demonstrate a degree of loyalty to the company in exchange for the opportunity and benefits received. Commitment questions are concerned with how much you want to do the job and how much loyalty the company can expect from you. Use good judgment when answering commitment-type questions. Show the appropriate degree of ambition and commitment to professional development without implying you’ll be looking for another job within a few months. There is an implicit conflict between loyalty and ambition so your answers need to smoothly address that concern.

Consider the following commitment interview questions:

1.      Hard work is necessary in order to succeed. Tell me about a time when you had to work very hard to reach your goals.
2.      Describe some times when you were not very satisfied with your performance. What did you do about it?
3.      Give me an example of a time in which you had to put in long hours on the job. Be specific.
4.      Give me an example of a time you went above and beyond the call of duty to get a job done.
5.      Getting the job done may necessitate unusual commitment to results, especially when faced with obstacles or distractions. Tell me about a time in which you were able to be very persistent in order to reach goals. Be specific.

And a recent one from a client: “If you got this job, how long would you stay with us?”

I invite you to record your answer to any of the questions above and share with me via Google Drive, Dropbox, or your favorite collaboration platform. I will respond to everyone within 3 business days but can commit to providing detailed feedback only to the first 5 who contact me.

More about interviewing skills in my next blog posts. Be sure to follow the savvy professional series for job search and interviewing tips and offers for free feedback and critique.

Email me at info@choicefulpath.com.

 

The Savvy Professional: Courage

A former boss used to tell our team that the most dangerous job is a comfortable one.  We don’t learn new things and grow being comfortable. To grow, we need to stretch ourselves to discover what we are truly capable of. He always maintained that if we get too comfortable, it’s time to move on. To get somewhere, we need to acknowledge we can’t stay where we are. And to move on we need clarity of purpose and direction. Clarity means knowing what we want and having awareness of our options. It is said that clarity is the first step to success. If so, then the second step would be taking action. And this is typically where things get more complicated. The fear of the unknown and making decisions may cloud our clarity and dim our inner yearning to go for what we want. We tend to get wrapped up in all that we don’t know, all the challenges, and the gloom and doom worst case scenarios. We may get paralyzed and delay making any changes to the current status quo seeking some sort of a guarantee of success before moving forward. Fear makes us doubt ourselves and agonize.

Simply stated, what we want is on the other side of fear. To make any changes, we need the courage to go for what we want with intention and boldness, to do the things that scare us. I believe it’s Aristotle who said that courage is the greatest quality because it makes everything else possible. There’s always an element of risk when we try something new. However, avoiding new challenges might be the biggest risk of all. Fear is a sign that there’s something valuable at stake. We may be losing something but in hope of a greater gain, something better. Courage is trust in ourselves and allowing ourselves to do what is right for us knowing there are no guarantees for success. It’s daring to go beyond the familiar believing that the best possible outcome is within our reach. So break the status quo and engage in the process of change with determination and an open mind. There are always options when things get messy. It’s always possible to course correct.

Job hunting is one of life’s biggest stressors. It is not for the faint of heart. It requires courage. Putting ourselves out there networking, telling people we are looking for a new job and asking for help take courage. Sending applications, interviewing and not being selected can test our courage. For some, interviewing is “just plain SCARY!” in the words of a former client. Even when you are well-prepared for the interview having done your research and having practiced the tough interview questions, you never know what to expect. Interviewing requires great courage. Handling rejection is never easy. Dealing with the highs and lows of job searching requires tremendous emotional strength. One day you are on top of the world feeling excited about an opportunity only to feel utterly disappointed and deflated the following day. The key to surviving job searching is to recognize it’s a process. Be prepared to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and courageously keep moving forward. Having the courage to turn the negative into a positive will set you apart. And remember:

•    The job search is temporary and will end.
•    A better job is possible!
•    It’s not always about you. There are many reasons why you don’t hear back from a connection or a job application.
•    Every rejection moves you closer to the position that’s right for you.
•    You learn from every experience and interview, whether resulting in a job offer or not, yet.

Throughout the job search process, acknowledge your fears but keep taking one choiceful action at a time. It’s the steps that count, big or small. Building mental strength is like building physical strength and stamina - the more we exercise the stronger and better at it we get.

Employers seek confident and courageous leaders who’d be able to create a compelling vision and set the agenda to move forward during tough times; leaders who’d be able to make tough decisions in order to see continuous success. Typical interview questions might be:

1.    What do you do when you are confronted with a situation that screams “red flag?”
2.    Give me an example of a courageous leadership action you have taken and are particularly proud of.
3.    Have you ever been given a project that you felt made no sense? Describe the situation, your actions, and the outcome.

Consider this question:
If you had an infinite amount of courage, what would you do?

I invite you to record your answer to any of the questions above and share with me via Google Drive, Dropbox, or your favorite collaboration platform. I will respond to everyone within 3 business days but can commit to providing detailed feedback only to the first 5 who contact me.

More about interviewing skills in my next blog posts. Be sure to follow the savvy professional series for job search and interviewing tips and offers for free feedback and critique.

Email me at info@choicefulpath.com

The Savvy Professional: Clarity

Competence and confidence are important qualities for career success in general, and more specifically in job interviews. Clarity is the foundation under them. You need to know where you are headed to confidently use your skills to get you there. What are your dreams? Where do you want to be down the road? What would you like to achieve? Before you start your search for the right job, ask yourself the following 10 clarifying questions to focus your search:

1.    What did you want to be when you were growing up?
2.    If you could do anything at all, what would be your ideal career?
3.    What job skills do you have?
4.    What are 10 things you do really well?
5.    What job skills to you need to learn, develop, or master?
6.    What career opportunities are within your reach?
7.    What are the top 3-5 things that are important to you in a job?
8.    What excites you/want MORE of in a job?
9.    What drains you/want LESS of in a job?
10.  What work environment would be the best fit for you?
 
Make a list of 50 targeted employers and find 50 job posts which most closely match your skills and pique your interest.
 
When you’ve dedicated time to reflect on the above and formulate your answers, you’d be ready to handle interview questions such as the 5 examples below?

•    What’s most important to you in your career?
•    What’s your ideal company?
•    What is your ideal job at this stage in your career?
•    Explain how you’d be an asset to our company?
•    Where would you like to be in your career 18 months/3 years/5 years from now?
 
No one expects you to go into detail describing exactly where you expect to be in 2020. In asking these questions, the interviewer wants to learn more about your career plan and goals. Such clarity indicates that you are motivated to work hard and do well.

Clarity is important in thought (forming the message) and in communication (delivering the message.) Interviewing can be nerve-racking. Some interviewers may try to throw you off by asking unusual questions coming at you completely out of the blue. While I’ve trained interviewers to stick to job-related questions only, I’ve heard of some very strange questions. I think some interviewers just get bored. But some try to see how you respond to an unexpected question being thrown into the deep end. In creative jobs, this might be an opportunity to demonstrate your superior out-of-the-box thinking skills. A few recent ones clients have shared with me are:

•    How many light bulbs are in this building?
•    What three things would you take on a trip to Mars? (Interviewer affected by The Martian???)
•    How would you sell me this paperweight?

Your best strategy is to maintain clarity of thought. Don’t panic. There’s really no wrong answer. Don’t take yourself or the question too seriously. A witty response should do the trick. And always keep things in perspective. This is just one interview; you’ll have great meetings and some that wouldn’t go well. An interview is just one of the many steps in the selection process. Pick yourself up when you stumble, dust yourself off, and keep trying until you succeed. This is a good time to address the question whether a job search is a “numbers game.” Well, it depends….

When it comes to applications, you should have a solid job search strategy and marketing plan in deciding which companies are of interest to you, how to get your foot in the door, and how to prepare for and present yourself during interviews. Endlessly applying for and submitting resumes indiscriminately won’t yield the desired results. You don’t want to waste your time interviewing for the wrong jobs. Don’t play the “numbers game” with the interview process; refine more and send less. Be selective in the companies you target and the jobs you apply for. The process is all about clarity in answering the question: “why should we hire you instead of one of the many other qualified candidates for the position?” However, even when you do everything right, you may not land the job. There are other very qualified candidates interviewing for the position. Networking is the only “numbers game” that works. Don’t underestimate the value of your network; the number of people you know. Take the time and make the effort to expand your network to increase the probability of connecting with the right people so that new opportunities are clear for the right jobs.

I invite you to record your answer to any of the questions above and share with me via Google Drive, Dropbox, or your favorite collaboration platform. I will respond to everyone within 3 business days but can commit to providing detailed feedback only to the first 5 who contact me.

More about interviewing skills in my next blog posts. Be sure to follow the savvy professional series for job search and interviewing tips and offers for free feedback and critique.

Email me at info@choicefulpath.com

The Savvy Professional: Competence

I’ve been asked to write more about the relationship between professional confidence and competence. I was challenged by the following question: “how come the less competent people on my team rate their competency level much higher than it is?” This is a cognitive bias known as the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Research findings indicate that poor performers tend to overestimate their competency level (being overly-confident), and to a lesser extent, high performers tend to underestimate their abilities and score themselves lower. In my previous article about confidence in interviewing I didn’t mean to imply that confidence beats competence. The key to professional success is the balance between confidence and competence; accurately evaluating knowledge, abilities, and skill levels and being aware of improvement potential. Success lies in the difference between empty confidence and actual confidence.

Successful people tend to be more confident, in large part because they are competent. Competence breeds success. Success begets confidence and further success. If you struggle with confidence, work on gaining competence. Think about driving. Have you had the experience of teaching a teenager to drive? Trying the freeway for the first time? With experience and practice new drivers build competence, become more comfortable, and gain more confidence (as do the passengers riding with them.)

It is human nature to value confidence and be attracted to confident people. Competence is also valued, but it is much harder to discern during an interview. While not the perfect tool, competency tests such as whiteboard tests or case interviews and behavioral/experiential questions are the most common method to assess competence. Key competencies are identified as benchmarks to assess and evaluate candidates. The STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, & Result) is typically used to gather information on these key job competencies. Interviews are not the time to “fake it ‘til you make it.” Faking it will only lead to failure. It’s best to be honest about competency level and demonstrate aptitude for learning.

Employers are looking for candidates who are RAW:

Ready: to apply their knowledge and skills to the job

Able: have the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to do the job

Willing: to go above and beyond to deliver 

Our goal as professionals is to equip ourselves with the skillset needed in our chosen career and advance our competency levels along the continuum of performance from novice to master.  Competence is acquired through knowledge and practical experience. Professional competency is based on our knowledge, experience, skills, and abilities used to successfully perform job duties, produce outputs, and deliver desired results.

In discussing confidence and competency, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hour rule. In his book outliers, he maintains that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery, or achieve world-class expertise in any skill. 10,000 hours is the magic number of greatness. I’ll add one caveat; to reach mastery, you need to engage in deliberate practice. Repeatedly performing the same task wouldn’t yield much improvement over the long-run. True mastery is achieved when we push ourselves further each time we tackle a task and as we handle new challenges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBob67xwuGk

Competency Practice: Analytical Skills/ Problem- solving

1. Tell me about a situation where you had to solve a difficult problem. What did you do? What was the outcome? What do you wish you had done differently?
2. Describe a project that best demonstrates your analytical abilities. What was your role?
3. Tell me about a time when you had to analyze information and make a recommendation. Describe your approach and thought process. Was the recommendation accepted? If not, why?

I invite you to record your answer to any of the questions above and share with me via Google Drive, Dropbox, or your favorite collaboration platform. I will respond to everyone within 3 business days but can commit to providing detailed feedback only to the first 5 who contact me.

More about interviewing skills in my next blog posts. Be sure to follow the savvy professional series for job search and interviewing tips and offers for free feedback and critique. 

Email me at info@choicefulpath.com