Challenged or in Over Your Head: When a Positive Attitude Is Not Enough
During a tough job market, it is not uncommon to find two extreme versions of propaganda. On one hand, we might read about the absence of any jobs, and on the other hand, we might find academic institutions promising paths to riches by obtaining a degree or the latest certification in underwater basket weaving. Each scenario gives job seekers something to hang on to: hopelessness or a vision. Neither extreme is accurate; the problem lies in that each statement is believable and may be taken at face value, with very little questioning about the relevance of the statement to any particular person’s circumstance. There are several other factors to be taken into account.
Relying on certifications as a measurement of value
As an example, an MBA degree might be an attractive addition to someone’s calling card, but if the person truly doesn’t have an understanding of the business needs of the employers they are pursuing, the assumption that the MBA adds value tends to be off target. A dressed-up resume may allow some people to talk their way into a role that superficially looks like a match, but they can easily end up being in over their head.
So, what happens when people are not realistic about their capabilities or performance? After a running start, the candidate may find themselves unemployed again when their true applicable knowledge and skill level are recognized by the employer. When it turns out someone is not performing as anticipated or desired, some employers take an easy way out. The underlying issue isn’t necessarily visible because the employer may be reluctant to go through the process of documenting performance or coaching. In some cases, it is much easier to group someone into a “layoff” scenario, simply to avoid the work involved in removing them through performance coaching and documentation.
In my experience, the number of times I encounter a situation where the person has a greater perception of their capabilities than a position warrants and subsequently loses their job occurs about as frequently as I hear someone complain they have been unemployed for an extended period because there are no jobs. The similarity in these situations is that each represents an unrealistic expectation about the marketplace for particular skills or the availability of dream jobs that match desired criteria.
It’s important to recognize the difference between a “challenge” and “in over your head.” It may mean one thing to the candidate and yet another to an employer who has clearly defined expectations of the outcomes they desire. It gets even more complicated when the employer has not clearly defined his expectations and the candidate has no real understanding of the role and is left to intuit their way through. To ensure the highest probability of success, it is critical for candidates to understand the business goals of the organization and where their role contributes to the organization’s mission and objectives. On the flip side, for an employer to ensure their resources are being used to the fullest, it is extremely critical to set clearly defined expectations.
Relying on passive job search or passive recruiting methods
Many candidates using a passive search process will miss out on learning what is needed before they enter into a situation. Job descriptions may describe functions but not necessarily goals. In order to fully grasp what they are getting into, candidates need to conduct extensive research and talk to insiders to get a real-life perspective of the overall market, a particular industry, or a particular organization. With this preparation, they are much more likely to gauge the value or return on investment (ROI) of certifications or extended education. Through strong relationships and an internal connection who is willing to speak to the overall skills someone brings to the party, it is more likely a person will be able to apply a newly acquired degree or certification without an exact match to stated job requirements. Employers who encourage employee referrals are much more likely to open the doors to people who share the organization’s vision and are a fit with the culture when candidates have existing relationships with top producers who have demonstrated as much.
On the flip side, hiring managers who rely only on the identification of key words, certifications and degrees as a measure of value may be unpleasantly surprised by poor performance later. It is critical to develop sound questions to be able to assess someone’s ability to do the job, and to do the job the way the employer wants the job done. It’s amazing how many times people are still hired on assumptions.
Being behind the curve when needs change
Another hurdle for a candidate to face is when an industry, organization, or a hiring manager’s expectations change due to changing business needs. This situation arises when the candidate is seeking employment, or it can happen after they are hired. Either way, if someone is unable to quickly change priorities to address business needs and immediate opportunities, they will be left on the sidelines. Regardless of how hot the job market is, or how hot the newest certification program or designation is, if a candidate is not flexing with the underlying business need, will be left behind.
In a slow job market, it is even more critical to recognize that what you want right now may not be attainable immediately or as planned. It might require a different strategy or short-term concessions and, most importantly, the flexibility to do what it takes to get on track. Building in the time to develop connections and hands-on experience may allow for a greater ROI from new certifications/degrees in the long run. It is also critical to stay on top of changing needs to make sure what you offer is still considered of value as you move forward.
Tags: Career development, career goal, career planning, choosing a career, goal setting, job hunting, recruitment, underemployment, unemployment
Serving Your Customers or Doing Your Job
One way or another, we all have customers. We may be supporting co-workers and managers, or we serve external consumers or business partners. How we approach our work may make a huge difference in our effectiveness and the perceived value of what we actually deliver. All in all, the only control we have over doing what can seem like a thankless job is changing our outlook on why we are doing it. If you are unhappy in your current situation, the following steps may help lead you to a new understanding of your role or to a new way of thinking.
Understand your motivation. Are you:
- Providing a service or simply completing tasks?
- Earning a paycheck or changing lives?
- Energized by finding solutions?
- Fueled by the successes of others or focused on your own?
- Encouraged by challenges and opportunities to learn, or are you feeling like you are in over your head?
Understand those you support. Do you:
- Anticipate your customers’ needs or wait until they call?
- Do what is asked or what is needed?
- Educate or tell them what to do?
- Do the tasks you like best or what they need you to do?
- Get frustrated by your customer’s changing needs?
- Re-adjust priorities based on your customers’ needs or follow your own schedule?
- See urgent situations as opportunities to make a difference or as inconvenient changes to routine?
Recognize your contribution. Are you:
- A partner with a vested interest in your customer’s success or an observer?
- A trusted adviser or an employee?
- A provider of solutions or do you typically stop at identifying problems?
- On time or do you get around to things when it is convenient?
- Reliable and trustworthy or mysterious and unpredictable?
Own the change if it isn’t a fit. Can you:
- Communicate more effectively?
- Negotiate the changes you desire?
- Respond differently when receiving an unwelcome request?
- Look for an alternative situation?
- Find ways to build skills to make the work easier?
If you are currently involved in a nagging work situation, it may be time to evaluate your options. You can stay and do nothing, find ways to change your own behavior or move on. One way or the other, you are the only part of the equation that you can control. Waiting for something to happen to you is unlikely to put you in a powerful position. Take action!
A Word on Multi-Tasking
There has been a rumor going around asserting that it is “impossible to multi-task.” I suppose a declaration of this kind allows those who aren’t skilled at multitasking to feel triumphant, but very common examples of real life multitasking prove this theory incorrect. If we couldn’t multi-task, then:
- When driving, we couldn’t look both ways and behind us at an intersection, activate a turn signal and apply pressure to the brakes (all within 15 seconds).
- A mother couldn’t hold her child on her back while she walked to the store or while she was making dinner.
- We wouldn’t be able to guide cloth through a sewing machine and watch to ensure the stitching is straight, while also accelerating the pedal that runs the motor.
- Musicians couldn’t sing while they play an instrument, let alone dance while they are doing both.
- A police officer wouldn’t be able to direct traffic and be cognizant of the crowd around him/her.
The point I’m making is that there are degrees of what is possible, practical and necessary. Multitasking is an important skill for many reasons, especially if there is a significant investment in the outcome (e.g., not getting in a car wreck, your child’s safety or perhaps getting paid to perform a service or provide entertainment). If the failure to take command of necessary actions impacts your safety, the safety of others or your livelihood, then multitasking is clearly a problem. Analyzing your steps to determine where the breakdowns occur, and implementing strategies to resolve them, is a better investment of time than arguing a case for why “multitasking isn’t possible.”
Clearly, we don’t want to put ourselves or others at risk. If we can’t look forward as we drive and also check the rearview mirror, that’s a problem. It means we probably shouldn’t be driving. In similar terms, if we are unable to talk on the phone and type simultaneously, then we probably shouldn’t work in a call center. If we lack the ability to carry on a conversation with someone and listen for conversations/noises around us on a playground, then perhaps we shouldn’t be the playground monitor. It doesn’t mean any of the above examples are impossible skills to master, it just means some people shouldn’t be doing them.
If you are currently considering work that requires multitasking, it is critical to practice under the same circumstances to determine if you can do it, before jumping in feet first. Multitasking efficiently and effectively is all relative. To know if you will be successful, it’s imperative to have a clear understanding of the desired outcome. Sometimes accuracy is first and foremost, yet other times, the goal isn’t perfection. If you tend to get caught up in detail and pour over and over information or processes to ensure they are absolutely correct, occupations that demand a high degree of accuracy, such as engineering or accounting, could be a very strong fit. In other situations, where exact detail is valued less, it could cause you to lag behind, miss deadlines, or worse, fail to respond at all in a critical situation requiring an immediate answer.
Sometimes reacting with a reasonable response and following up with an elaborate answer at a more appropriate time is the best course of action at the moment. If a pipe is leaking, it makes more sense to immediately plug the leak with whatever you have on hand until a plumber can be reached, than to stop to determine the pipe size and water flow capacity while the water is rising around your feet. It is important to recognize when the situation demands a change in attention without notice – like answering phones or having your work constantly interrupted to answer co-workers’ questions, a different action is required. A once highly valued skill like accuracy may become a liability when it becomes impossible to perform other requirements.
In a world where more is expected to be done with less, multitasking seems to be a required, if not critical skill, for many jobs. Choose your work (and battles) so you don’t find yourself in a situation that isn’t working for you or your employer. Become aware of how much you can manage at one time, and when challenged, identify ways to improve your responses. Another option is to simply decide to look for other work that is less demanding. The bottom line is that your response is the only thing that can change. Believing that multitasking isn’t possible or necessary might not help you succeed.
Tags: choosing a career, job hunting, job search, managing priorities, performance improvement, research
Stop Waiting for a Job and Go to Work!
An epiphany hit me recently after reading an article about the current status of job loss in Washington State. Reporting “no jobs” does not necessarily mean there is “no work available.” The term “jobless,” doesn’t have to mean “without work.” When I think about it, passively waiting for a job to open up when there is so much work around us to be done may not be the best approach to what could be a dire situation. Too many people are trapped in the mindset that a job is the only way to find income. I think there is another way we all could be looking at a “jobless” economy.
This “ah, ha!” moment happened after a frustrating week of searching for a contractor to replace the bathroom floor in a rental unit. Of the five people I contacted, two said they would call back and never did, another two said the job was too small for them, and one remaining contractor promptly returned my call. After an onsite visit, he committed to doing the work. When the project was completed, the contractor was promptly paid for his work, even though it wasn’t a “job with benefits.” Later, when we found out the carpet also needed to be replaced, the same contractor was given more work.
This experience prompted me to consider everything else that seems to be falling apart around me: my car needs vacuuming, our yard needs attention, the gutters need to be cleaned and our sink needs a new faucet. From what I see all around me, there is still a considerable amount of work that needs to get done, by and for others. This kind of work may not come with a job description, top dollar pay, medical benefits and paid time off, but I am guessing it could produce enough income to equal a paycheck and pay some bills. I’m not saying I have THE answer. It is just another approach that could keep people from tipping completely over.
The exercise of looking for work—compared to looking for a job—is a new concept for some people. It requires a different approach and a different mentality. Rather than spending the day passively looking at job postings, people could proactively invest their time looking for work, which involves talking to people to learn about their companies and “what hurts” or “what is broken.” By listening for business challenges and problems, they can be the first to offer appropriate solutions and be further ahead of those who are just waiting around for a job to be posted online. This is a simple concept, but not necessarily easy to execute. It may require training and additional support to make sure you get the results you are after.
Looking for work is a process that involves focused and intentional networking. Not the kind of random, opportunistic schmoozing that many people consider networking. It is far different than “liking” a friend’s post on Facebook or reaching out to random people on LinkedIn. It requires targeted outcomes, planning and thoughtful execution. If you aren’t finding “work” by reviewing job postings and playing with social media, there’s a good likelihood that you need to alter your mindset. It’s possible that while you search for your next job, the work you discover may even end up leading you to the job you’ve been hoping for.
Tags: interviewing, job hunting, job search, managing priorities, networking, new jobs, time management
How Different Will Your New Year Be?
You may have found the past year has been riddled with indecision and apprehension regarding many important issues: the economy, jobs, politics, healthcare, and government spending, to name a few. The list could go on forever. This past year left many people feeling somewhat out of control. In response to everything that was up in the air in December, you may have made a concerted effort to create goals for the New Year that only you can control the progress on. Before we get fully underway in the New Year, it’s a good idea to identify last year’s personally painful points and set up remedies for this year. The following are some questions to ask yourself. Did you:
- Start out with good intentions but found out your resolutions fizzled by March?
- Make promises but didn’t keep them?
- Find yourself with unmet goals?
- Remain at the same dumb job?
- Make excuses throughout the year for why things didn’t change?
- Feel powerless to change your circumstances?
If you experienced any of the issues listed above last year, then decide now to face things differently this year. It’s up to you to choose how you will respond to obstacles that prevent you from achieving your goals. Here are ten tips for improving your outcomes this year:
- Make a commitment. This year, make yourself accountable. Break your goals into objectives, set due dates and develop action plans to accomplish your goals.
- Flex to demand. When circumstances change, reevaluate. Don’t continue with the same old plan if it is no longer applicable. If an urgent opportunity arises that allows you to reach a goal sooner, adjust your schedule and make the time to address it. Don’t let something pass you by because you were functioning under the same old SOPs (standard operating procedures).
- Avoid complacency. Don’t allow yourself to get comfortable. Just as old, broken in shoes can end up leading to foot, back or knee pain, staying in the same state of mind or circumstances can lead to more severe repercussions. A career can be stalled, a reputation damaged and skills decline. Make sure every day is committed to moving forward and out of the same old rut, no matter how comfortable it has become.
- Keep up the momentum. Have a plan for each day, week and month. That doesn’t mean sticking with something come hell or high water. Have a plan so you know where to direct your efforts and monitor it weekly to make sure it is still relevant. Keep looking forward. Find a progress buddy to help you remain accountable.
- Stay healthy. Don’t wait until something happens before you pay attention to your body. Engage in healthful activities and eating habits. Take precautions to avoid illnesses that occur from lack of attention. Get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, eat healthy foods and make sure you have some sort of plan for exercise that you will sustain.
- Don’t take no for an answer. If you have been turned away, rebuffed or passed over, then think of another approach. You can’t change another person’s actions, but you can change your own. Analyze what happened and try something new. Don’t let someone else decide what you can or cannot accomplish.
- Get comfortable with change. Change impacts everyone, every day, everywhere. You can’t hide from it or avoid it. If things aren’t going the way you want, don’t make excuses. Change your strategy, change your thinking or change your reaction.
- Pay attention. You don’t have to believe everything you read, but reading nothing only causes you to be unaware. Insulating yourself from the reality others are facing can cause a disconnect when meeting new people or pursuing new opportunities. Be aware of current events, industry changes, area growth/decline and popular issues. The more aware you are of what is going on around you, the more you can participate in general conversations.
- Engage. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, people lover or people hater, people and conversations will be contributing factors to what you do and where you go. Learn about others’ needs and wants by asking questions and showing interest. Amazing results may follow when someone believes you actually care about them.
- Get over yourself. If you have hung on to a perception of yourself that no longer works, examine why. You might laugh when you hear celebrities refer to others as being “relevant” (or not), but honestly, have you looked in the mirror? Our own unrealistic perceptions of ourselves can prevent us from achieving our goals as much as having a positive, honest, realistic perception can help us achieve them. Which would you choose?
If these tips motivated you to change even one thing going into the New Year, please let us know!
Tags: career, career goal, Career management, career plan, career planning, goal planning, goal setting, goals, job hunt, job hunting, job search, managing priorities, managing time, reach career goals, time management
This Year Make Resolutions That Stick
Leading up to each New Year, it is common for people to establish a long wish list and/or a list of resolutions. The problem is that neither is typically tied to a plan of action and rarely is either list completed by the year’s end. Funny thing is, year after year, people repeat the same behavior and end up with the same results.
This year, make sure your wishes come true and your resolutions become habits, by starting out with a plan for success. Consciously think through what you want and what it will take for you to get there. This year, take control of what you can do to make things happen the way you envision. The following are some steps for getting started.
Create goals vs. resolutions or wish lists. The difference between making a resolution and establishing a goal is setting time lines and creating accountability. You are the one with the most invested in whether or not you achieve your goals, so it only makes sense to develop your own timelines for accomplishing them. When looking at personal goals, no one else is going to do it for you. (And if someone else is creating your personal goals for you, there may be some co-dependency issues that need to be addressed.) If you have professional goals that are mandated by your employer, don’t stop with those. Incorporate your own ideas of what you want to accomplish in the plan. Once you have a good idea of what it is you want to accomplish, then go ahead and make a commitment to each on a specific date in your calendar. If you want to lose weight, identify how much and by when. During the planning stage and setting objectives you will further break this down into measurable and achievable goals
Eliminate fear. Change is scary. If you are experiencing trepidation about doing something new, know that you are not alone. Everyone is uncomfortable with change to some degree. The key to overcoming it is facing the obstacles now, not later. Typically fear is a greater barrier than the actual perceived barrier turns out to be. Get past it by breaking down your concern item by item. List why you are scared, or why you think you may fail. Then address each point one at a time. It is likely you will find out that most of what you thought was true is mostly in your head. The concerns that are only thoughts need to be tested by taking action or researching through others who may have relevant experience (see “don’t make assumptions” below). If you want to change careers or add a new line of business, write out a list of everything running around in your head that is telling you that you can’t. One way or the other, you will be able to shorten the list if you simply get started.
Don’t make assumptions. Make a list of all you want and need. Methodically go through the list to make sure you are completely aware of what is necessary to proceed in the direction you desire. Make sure you have the required time and resources to invest and plan time to investigate options. Ask others who have had experience in the area you are focusing (e.g., new business, new career path, weight loss). Someone will have information and experience to share. You simply need to ask. The results of a thorough investigation of what you want will allow you to more accurately identify realistic timelines that will lead to success.
Plan ahead instead and avoid passively reacting. Taking a fatalistic view of circumstances you want to change isn’t going to get you anywhere. Creating a plan to deal with potential obstacles will allow you to more effectively approach bumps in the road. Passively reacting to resistance from others, obstacles or challenges isn’t going to get you what you want. Health, family or financial issues are all part of life and may surface at any time. Think through what could or might happen and develop strategies to overcome situations that are not ideal. Plan for adversity; don’t wait until it is too late to take corrective action or make changes to your plan.
Be realistic. Make sure whatever behavioral changes that are needed to accomplish your goal are easily integrated into your life on a daily basis. Setting unrealistic expectations will only set you up for failure. If you want to lose weight, make it obtainable without starving yourself or creating such aggressive goals you are likely to fail. Taking on one change at a time is much more likely to lead to success. Introducing one behavioral change at a time and doing it every day for 30 days is much more likely to make it hard wired action. If you want to lose weight, then being aware of what you take in and the activity you are presently engaged in (calories in, calories out) is the first step. Cutting back on one particularly unhealthy or high calorie food while adding ten minute walks each day are both much easier to handle and gear up from than reducing your calorie intake to 500 a day and running laps. One behavior is easy to do every day. The other is much less likely to be sustainable.
Set objectives/milestones to track your progress. Break the big stuff into smaller bites and track your progress. Set realistic due dates that take into account everything else you are juggling in your life. Don’t allow yourself to spin out of control because you ended up in a ditch on one aspect of your plan. Stay on track by developing new objectives or realistic time lines for what you need to accomplish when new elements get thrown into your life.
Set up contingencies. Think through what could or might happen and develop strategies to overcome situations that are not ideal. Don’t become a victim to circumstances because you haven’t prepared. Think through what you want and develop alternatives to your initial goal just in case things change. As you research your goals you may learn things that will cause you to change your plan. Don’t be afraid to adjust things as you go. If you have an idea for a new career, allow time for a test period. If it isn’t successful right off the bat, you may want to extend your timelines or adjust the amount of resources invested. Making adjustments to your plan is much easier if you think it through ahead of time, and can be addressed much like risk management is prior to the implementation of new projects for a company.
Be flexible. Stuff happens. Life throws us some curveballs sometimes. It is important to make sure your plans will adjust easily to anything that could develop without notice. Goals don’t have to be all or nothing. It’s possible an illness or a family related issue interrupts your momentum. An event doesn’t have to cause you to stop everything; it just may require you to change your plan a little. Adjusting to changed circumstances to achieve part of what you want and extending timelines to accomplish the rest, will bring you much closer to the desired result than throwing up your hands and declaring defeat. Be open to new information and new ideas. Adjust your goals and your plan according to what is working so that you are always clear about what you are doing and why.
Avoid procrastination. The longer you wait to get started thinking through your goals, the more likely another year will go by without having achieved them. Are you daydreaming right now? Wishing for something new? Get started now! Prepare a plan of attack and get in motion by January 1 so you can look forward to a great New Year!
What will you do differently to make things stick this year?
Tags: career change, Career development, Career management, goal setting, goals, job search, managing priorities, managing time, new jobs, planning, time management
Beware of Red Flags from an Interviewer
Although a candidate may be extremely focused on their own behavior and speech, it is just as necessary to pay attention to what the interviewer discloses through conversation or body language throughout an interview. In addition to debriefing an interview to learn where improvement may be required, a review can also help you pick up on clues the employer provided that could alert you to a dysfunctional work situation.
It’s always best to know of potential issues/personalities you might encounter in advance, so your interpretation of any odd behaviors is closer to the mark. When advance information from insiders isn’t possible, the following are some things to pay attention to and their potential causes.
The interviewer(s) arrived on time. An interviewer arriving and beginning the interview on time shows respect for your time. It also shows they have planned ahead. Certainly there are reasons someone might end up running late. The key is in how they approach the issue. If they’re not apologetic, or if the late start is not even acknowledged, this could illustrate how other meetings are approached or how your time is valued.
You met the person (or people) you expected to meet with. It’s great when the people you expected to meet are the ones actually present, but it isn’t unusual to be greeted by someone else. When people send stand-ins because they are unable to follow through as planned, it can work out ok if the replacement is someone actually prepared to interview or has a stake in the situation. It can turn into a problem if the person you end up meeting with appears to have little interest or awareness of your potential contribution or role with the company. A late replacement can be a sign of disorganization, or an indicator of how tough it might be to get the real decision maker’s time or attention on other important issues down the road.
The interviewer(s) seemed genuinely interested in meeting you. It’s important to look for signs that the interviewer is actually engaged in your conversation. Did they take notes? Did they give eye contact? Smile? Did they nod or offer affirmations to your comments/answers? Yawns are a pretty sure sign of disinterest, but so can stoic stares. If the interviewer was watching the clock throughout the discussion or allowing interruptions, it can be a sign that their mind was elsewhere. Ultimately, this can lead to a colossal waste of time for each of you. It can mean they were overbooked, or had already mentally checked out because they have an earlier candidate pegged. Or, they truly have an emergency to contend with and are feeling pressed to “carry on” with the interview because you are there. If you see extreme signs that would indicate they are preoccupied or their attention is slipping away, it might be helpful to simply ask if they are running late for another meeting. It might even be necessary to offer to reschedule.
The interviewer(s) was prepared. It is always a nice experience to learn that an interviewer has actually read your resume with care. Seeing a marked up resume with key points highlighted can be a very good sign. When specific questions about your personal past experiences or skills are asked, it shows that someone took the time to dig into your background. There may be something of particular interest they wish to expand on and will lead the way there. A good sign the interviewer was prepared will also show up in the order they ask their questions. Typically building on one piece of information to the next to help them develop a full picture is a sign of interest and understanding. When an interviewer clearly shows signs they have not seen your resume and is completely unaware of your background, it can be an indication of a number of things that might not be in your best interest. They may not have taken the time to think about you at all before your arrival or they may not be completely present in the moment. They also may not have a vested interest in you or your role and may have already made up their minds about another candidate, or they may simply choose to shoot from the hip when making other important decisions. Going through the motions by asking the same old, rote interview questions, in random order, can also either be a sign of inexperience or disinterest. The question remains: how will they treat you once you are an employee?
The interviewer(s) listened to your answers. When the interviewer asks questions and is carefully listening to your responses, even asking clarifying questions, it shows they are engaged in what you are saying. That isn’t always the case, however. Many of us have experienced the interview that progressed with the interviewer doing all the talking. When the “discussion” turns into a “monologue” about the interviewer’s experience or interests, there is a good sign they are more concerned about impressing you than learning about how you fit or can add value. It may also mean they are trying too hard to impress you, which could mean they are covering up other issues. A talkative interviewer might not sound like a problem, if you are a good listener. It might not immediately be a problem, if they end up presenting you with an offer. The real problem could come along later if they end up NEVER listening to you or acknowledging your value or contribution. When it comes to solving a problem or getting a promotion or a raise later, their behavior of not listening could become a problem. Or, if they had only been talking to cover up any unrevealed issues, you may discover them at a later date.
The information provided was consistent from all sources. It’s always important to pay careful attention to the input you get from all participants. If there are glaring contradictions, it could be a sign of communication breakdowns, disagreements or even all out wars. It would be a good idea to ask an open ended question to help clarify, correct or expose something that could be very important at a later time. If an open ended question gets them to talk more, it may expose more inconsistencies, or in the best case, it may prove to clarify something. If more unraveling occurs, then pay attention. Don’t try to brush it off as something insignificant. Contradicting information can be signs of unrest, and may be fertile ground for the next person to serve as a scapegoat. A clarifying question could be: “Earlier I heard Mary say that the project was slated to begin on the 8th, and I thought I heard Joe say it was the 12th. Could you please tell me more about the anticipated start date?”
The interviewer(s) was comfortable or poised during the interview. Granted, some interviewers are inexperienced and may seem uncomfortable because they are nervous. Others may be uncomfortable because they know more than they are sharing or because they really don’t have the time to interview someone. If someone is getting fidgety, try not to take it personally, but do take care to pay attention to how you might be contributing to their response. If your answers are long, are delayed in getting to the point or you have said something that could be interpreted as off-task, off-color or politically incorrect, it’s time to stop talking. Pay attention to their body language before you continue down the same path. If the discomfort appears when they are talking, it might also be a sign that they are having difficulty shielding a sensitive issue.
Each of these scenarios could expose information that would make a difference to you. Lack of punctuality, disinterest, distractions, stress and inconsistencies could all be indicators that things in this workplace are not ideal. Although none of these issues need to be deal breakers, don’t assume little things are unimportant or are an aberration. In order to maximize any employment situation, it is vitally important that you are aware of what you are getting into. Knowing the pitfalls in advance allows you to develop strategies for avoiding derailment at an inopportune time down the road.
What red flags have you encountered in an interview? Please tell us what happened if you ignored it until it was too late.
Tags: communication, interviewing, job hunting, job search
Debriefing: Getting To the Bottom of Why Interviews Go South
Interviewing is tough business. A candidate is typically facing a complete stranger and has limited time to develop rapport, assess the environment, assimilate the conversation and interpret body language. Reading an interviewer is also a risky endeavor. Typically, only an objective ear can distinguish between what went “really well” and what went “really south”. Unless a candidate is ready to face what their interviewing challenges are and embrace the remedies, it is likely they will continue making the same mistakes (and continue getting the same results).
Taking the time to debrief an interview can sometimes lead to surprisingly easy things to change and other times it may require learning new behaviors. A debriefing session is a method of examining what was said, versus what might have been heard, in addition to identifying any red flags. Whatever is ultimately exposed during a debriefing session, it is necessary to plan on incorporating new behaviors in the approach. Changing or developing new behaviors will take time to adjust to, so it is important to discover the needed improvements and work on them, long before the next interview.
The following are tips for what to look for throughout the interview and how to approach a debriefing session afterwards. (This process can also be used for debriefing a sales call. If you have not been able to close, keep reading.)
Make a note of everyone present. Get complete names and titles for everyone present. Include what their interest is in relationship to the position you are interviewing for and what or whom they represent. This will be important information in interpreting their responses.
Record what happened. If taking notes throughout the process is distracting, then it may be necessary to plan time to summarize key points immediately after the interview concludes. Regardless of how the information is captured, it needs to be recorded as closely to the time the conversation takes place as possible.
Be aware of tell-tale body language. Observing and making note of the reactions to your answers or the conversation during an interview are critical. Is the interviewer smiling? Nodding? Frowning? Arms crossed? Leaning back or away from you? Looking past you? Glassy eyed? Yawning? A facial expression indicating disbelief (wide eyes or raised eyebrows) or lack of approval (frown or grimace, or simply turning away) could be signs the interviewer is shutting down.
Pay attention to red flags. An abrupt change of subject or close to the interview can also be a sign that someone has “heard enough”. Allowing interruptions or distractions can also be signs the interviewer is no longer interested. Questions from the interviewer can drill into a subject at length because they need clarification, but the same questions can turn into a huge gap if the information you share turns out to contradict the interviewer’s beliefs, knowledge or style. Inconsistencies in the information provided or the interviewer’s behavior over the course of the interview can also indicate the interviewer has changed their opinion of you (could be in a good way or maybe not).
Be objective. Taking note of the exact language used, rather than your interpretation, makes it easier to be objective. If an objective ear can hear something you may have missed, then you are closer to figuring out what needs to be done to change, fix or clarify something.
Be honest. Try to reconstruct the situation accurately. Don’t make it sound like it went better than it did. You won’t be fooling anyone but yourself if you describe a “great interview” but end up without an offer. Too often a candidate pumps up the truth and ends up missing a very key point for why things weren’t going as well as they had hoped. Don’t assume anything.
Ask the hard questions. It might be tough to accept that you may have made a blunder, but you can’t fix what you don’t address. If you made mistakes, address them. Did you ask enough questions? Did you sound poised and confident or arrogant and overbearing? Did you voice opinions without checking to know if the interviewer held the same view? Did you make any assumptions without clarifying or confirming?
Do damage control. Sometimes a simple mistake can be corrected by following up with clarification in the thank you letter or email you send immediately after the interview. Sharing more information about something you had failed to bring up can make a difference. The key is in knowing what is needed, what is important and how to communicate it.
Plan ahead. Advance preparation for an interview is a must. The best time to prepare for your next interview is immediately after the last one. By determining what likely went wrong and beginning to prepare immediately helps to focus on what you really need to focus on or practice.
How well did you prepare the last time you had an interview that didn’t result in an offer? What needs to be done to improve your results the next time? If you are unsure of how to read the clues or interpret the outcome, it might be a good idea to get assistance with a debriefing session the next time you interview.
Tags: interviewing, job hunting, job search
Drive Your Own Bus
Nailing the job is just the beginning. It’s always a great celebration when someone lands the role of their dreams. Then the real work begins: keeping it.
Sometimes the joy of securing the role clouds the need to pay attention to what is happening in the moment as time goes on. Complacency may set in. Things get overlooked. Verbal cues are missed. Then things can start to go downhill.
Working with my clients over the expanse of their careers allows the good, the bad and the ugly to surface. In the beginning, we are dedicated to identifying the fit with the best employer, best role and best culture. Unfortunately, things change, and all the ducks that were in a row in the beginning may be thrown completely out of kilter. The situation can turn into a damage control mission to maintain a stable footing in a company or end up in the next big search for an alternative.
It’s critical to keep your eye on the ball. The following are some key points to pay particular attention to if your goal is to stay with an employer and grow with a company.
Pay attention. Make sure that details regarding your deliverables are not slipping through the cracks. A series of little mistakes creates as much of a lasting impression as one BIG mistake. Watch for verbal and nonverbal cues from others when speaking or presenting information. Are people smiling? Are they responsive? If no, then ask what you have missed. Don’t pretend nothing happened.
Avoid complacency. Doing what you always do the same way you always have is no longer good enough. The really valued employees are those that learn, take risks and seek out process improvements. They are always on the lookout for new ways to get things done faster, cheaper. To stay ahead of the pack, you have to deliver more than just enough.
Ask for performance reviews. If your company doesn’t schedule regular performance reviews, ask for one. It is impossible to know what needs fixing if you are unaware that anything is broken. It is impossible to meet invisible expectations. Don’t rely on anyone else to be forthcoming with expectations- it may never happen. Ask!
Document your performance. Perception is everything. You may think you are doing a stellar job. You may even have been told you are doing a stellar job. But unless it is writing, or there is a record of on-time deliverables, perceptions/memories of others down the road can skew what really happened.
Be aware of your image or status with others. Do you know what people think of you? Do you have allies? If you are assuming that you are loved just because you have not been told otherwise, it could be a recipe for disaster. If others are being asked to complete special projects when you are just as capable, it’s time to learn why you are being passed over. If you are being shut out of conversations that lead to changes or decisions when you had previously been included, something is amiss.
Take the initiative to learn and grow. Don’t wait for others to point out mistakes or areas for improvement. Own your errors and make quick recoveries. Take the initiative to learn new skills if you need to. Find others outside of the company to serve as mentors if you need help.
Stay connected to your network. It is easy to get settled into a routine and believe you will never have to look for another job. Don’t be fooled by momentary comfort. The world continues to change and there are no guarantees for anyone’s job security. Your network will keep you on top of what’s new, what’s outdated, relevant needs in other arenas and in-demand skills. Don’t leave your network behind just because you think you have your “dream job”.
Tags: Career development, Career management, career planning, networking, new jobs, performance improvement
Staying Ahead of the Curve
Jack, be nimble,
Jack, be quick,
Jack, jump over
The candlestick.
Jack jumped high
Jack jumped low
Jack jumped over
and burned his toe.
Although there are probably not many candlesticks to be jumped over in today’s market, most of us are faced with “mini-fires” every day. Although there are specific disciplines that follow trained approaches to working in Lean or Agile environments, the average worker or small business owner still needs to be able to show evidence of their ability to respond quickly and effectively to changes or unforeseen events.
In a day and age where the ability to think quickly and react gracefully is critical to the success of workers, businesses, and nonprofits, it is important not to get distracted by the wrong perception of what is in the way of success.
Although we tend to assume it, youth does not ensure responsiveness. Nor does it ensure speed. There are many mature workers that can outthink and outrun younger workers when called upon to respond to a critical change. The value of their experience in similar past situations with a variety of prospective allows them the ability to think quickly and decisively. It is unfortunate that the perception that age is a problem can undermine the value gained through having had more experience in reacting to crisis and change. In contrast, the enthusiasm younger employees or entrepreneurs bring to the market place can’t be beat. The absence of excess baggage or paralyzing past failures, the willingness to think out of the box and openness to try new things are also huge advantages when trying to problem-solve in limited time.
Regardless of your role as a worker, business owner, manager or leader, the ability to stay ahead of the curve when dealing with change is an asset that cannot be replaced. Young or old, don’t allow others to make assumptions about what you can or cannot contribute. Responsiveness is a behavior that is easily made visible in everyday communications or encounters with coworkers, customers and supervisors. It is also a behavior that is very noticeable when absent. Think about the message you send others when you are slow to respond to requests, quick to complain or blame, or look to others to take the initiative to offer solutions. These are all easily changed behaviors without concerning yourself with how your age is being considered. Move on to changing what you can to keep yourself or your services fresh and marketable:
- Respond quickly to email or phone requests.
- Follow up to remind and encourage others of deadlines or needed actions.
- Be open to new ideas and new approaches.
- Plan ahead for meetings and conversations.
- Anticipate potential obstacles and be prepared with solutions.
- Follow up immediately with anyone that you have committed to.
- Stop procrastinating.
- Look for solutions and stop complaining!
Tags: career change, communications, goal setting, goals, job hunting, job search, managing priorities, managing time, time management
