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.
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