Marketable Skills – Look Outside Your Box
Manuel came home last night and gave me a sly smile and told me Jesse gave him a compliment. If you have a teenager you know exactly why he was smiling. For those of you without children or have younger children I’ll fill you in – teenagers do not give their parents compliments. Of course it was a bit backhanded, but it was there.
They were talking about going to the batting cages and hit golf balls this weekend because Manuel said he needed to get a couple of buckets in as he has a tournament coming up. Jesse asked if he even knew how to play golf. He told Manuel that if it were baseball he would not question it, he knows Manuel can play baseball, but golf? You see Manuel is a former ballplayer and has coached for years. But Jesse had never seen his dad play golf or known that he has played before so he naturally assumed he could not play. Ah, teenagers. In Jesse’s mind his dad was a baseball coach, not a golf coach.
This got me thinking about my class this week. We had a great discussion about how you may have marketable skills or abilities that you have learned even if it was not a part of any job description. Our personal lives offer us a multitude of opportunities that we can draw from in giving examples of skills and abilities during an interview. Volunteerism gives us these same opportunities that we can include on our resume.
One word of caution – if you are using a personal example make sure it is not too personal and that it is relevant. The examples should illustrate your point and be able to demonstrate rather than just tell a story. Sometimes people get a bit too comfortable during an interview and forget the whole point – to sell yourself to that person. You want to show them that you are the right fit for that job: you have the skills, expertise, experience and ability to be the solution to their problem. Telling personal stories with no point does not help you; this is not a social call.
It can be done and to help here is a personal example: Someone once asked me if I could successfully handle multiple projects that were outside of my comfort zone and, if so, could I give them an example. I explained that when I was first brought into the financial industry I was required to earn my Series 7 exam with the Series 9 & 10 to follow at some point. Within a short time period my ex-husband was also diagnosed with advanced aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Over the next twelve months I was successful at my duties at my position; earned my 7, 63, 65, 9 and 10 Series licenses; spend every night and weekend at the hospital learning about dialysis, chemotherapy, and various tests and treatments as my ex-husband successfully battled cancer all while managing my young son’s school and sports responsibilities and activities. The person looked at me and said, “I would say that is a definite yes.”
Even with our job we have opportunities to learn new skills that are not listed within our job description. We get so ingrained in our position and title that we forget all of the abilities and talents that we have developed that are not tied to a position. Just because it was not in your job description does not mean you have not done it. Think about your last position and what the job description was when you first started. Now think about everything that you actually did – I bet the two lists do not match.
Stop selling yourself short and start thinking outside the box. You are your hardest critic, but for today, knock it off. Start listing out your strongest skills and abilities and then go back to everything that you have done in work-world, volunteer-world and life-world. Start writing down all of the things that you have done, can do and have learned or achieved. Odds are you will see there is much more depth to you when you look outside your cubicle.
Mike Ditka, Wrestling and Interviewing
Success isn’t permanent and failure isn’t fatal. That is something Mike Ditka once said. Let it sit for a minute and it really is a pretty powerful statement. I like it so much I have it tacked on my refrigerator and it helps ground and motivate me all at once. I think it speaks a lot towards attitude. I hound on attitude a lot, but I think it is important, it is my blog, so I get to!
My step-son Jesse started wrestling this year, as a 7th grader. He plays football in the Fall and baseball in the Spring but had no plans for a Winter sport so he decided to venture into wrestling – mainly because his dad told him he needs to be doing something during his off seasons. The boy is full of energy and really needs to keep busy in a positive way, as most young teenagers, but that is another story. Jesse’s school system is know for their wrestling program, I mean known, enough that they are looking at the 6, 7 and 8th graders and talking about State Titles in High School. They take it very seriously. And this is his first year. No pressure there!
We talked about his first year he may get his rear kicked a lot, but it will be the best way to learn. He has been pinned, which he hates, but I videotape his matches and he watches them. I mean really watches them. We see him trying different moves that kids beat him on and trying to perfect moves he has learned in practice. His attitude has made him stand out not only as an athlete, but also a student of the sport. He went in with the attitude that he was going to do this.
And what has this attitude gotten Jesse – sixth place in Folkstyle State a couple of weeks ago in his weight class. His dad and I could not have been more proud. My goodness, he looked like little Rocky out there fighting! I am more proud and impressed with his attitude than how he places – the kid won’t quit.
I can’t say enough about attitude. You see; if Jesse started the year with the attitude that he was going to stink, then guess what, he would have. Or worse yet, gone in desperate to impress the coaches being timid then he could have been injured. But he set the right attitude that was the first important step – just as it is for individuals when they prepare for interviews.
Remember, you are interviewing them too. It is not a one sided gig, at least it should not be. And if you step into that door feeling desperate that you NEED a job, any job, than guess what, that desperation will come through loud and clear. Desperation is not a pretty thing. Now, do not get me wrong, I know there are times that sometimes you feel you will take anything that comes your way because you have bills to pay. I get that – remember two teenage boys to feed here! But even in that circumstance, you still want to remain confident and positive about the position and about you – and you do have limits.
Anyone who has ever attended one of my Resume Workshops will hear me compare resumes and interviewing to dating. The resume is your first date, you want to tell them the absolute best stuff about you and get them interested in finding out more – the second date, the interview. On the second date you expand upon all your great qualities. So keeping with this theme, how many times would you go on that third date if the other person was desperate? See where I am going here?
Be clear about what you want and why. If your goal is just a pay check well okay then, no problem. But what hours are you willing to work, what conditions are you willing to accept, what type of work are you willing to do, what are your limits? Face it; you will not take any job. Don’t thinks so, ok, what if I told you I had an immediate opening for a great paying job as an enema specialist for those with severe diarrhea? Disgusting, yes, but it makes my point. Get rid of the desperation, know your strengths and your limits and go interview them! Remember, it is all about you.
It is All in Your Attitude!
Have you ever heard the phrase “it is easier to get a job when you have one?” If I remember correctly the principle applied to the dating world, too (but that’s another story). Have you wondered why? Attitude. It comes through everything that you do. When you are accomplished and comfortable within your world other things open up to you more easily. Positive attracts positive. When you are stressed about finding employment, it can come across too.
Two tips I give at my workshops: when you have a phone interview do it in front of a mirror to make sure you are smiling and positive because it comes across the phone. Second: whatever your thoughts or mood when writing your resume or cover letter they will come across. If you do not feel confident, it will show.
It does not matter what my mood is before I speak in front of a group, whether it be anxious or lethargic, you will not see it when I speak. I get in the frame of mind that I am a damn good speaker, present with an abundance of energy and I will help or inspire someone in that room! Period. With that mindset I can go out and do what I do best. You won’t hear me whine that I do not feel good or that I am nervous, I save that for my wonderful fiancé at home. Poor guy!
When you are speaking to someone about a position whether that be in an interview, networking or casual conversation you need to be in that positive frame of mind. You are the best candidate, you are interviewing them for the job, they want you – there is not a challenge that you cannot answer! If you do not really believe that you can accomplish a task then guess what, it is going to come across. I love to study body language and intonation, they are so telling. Think back to when your kids were young and you knew when they weren’t quite telling you everything. You could tell even though they swore up and down they gave you the whole story. Others can pick this up on you, too.
Fake it until you feel it. Practice it in front of the mirror, with friends, with your dog – I do not care who your audience is, just practice, practice, practice that confidence! Soon it becomes second nature. You can’t sell it until you feel it, and let’s face it, you are selling your skills, your talents or abilities right now.
I love the quote from Henry Ford, “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.” So simple but so true.
Lisa K McDonald
So Tell Me, Why Did You Leave Your Last Position?
“My boss was a butthead.”
No, no, no – it may have been true, but you cannot answer this way! We have all wanted to at one time or another, but no – I strongly suggest against it.
If your position was eliminated, were laid off, or anything that was truly out of your control then this question should be fairly easy to answer. Just a word of caution, remember to put it in a way that does not show disdain or disgust for that company. A simple way of answering would be, “Unfortunately, due to the current climate in the automotive industry, XYX Company had lost many contracts and it was necessary to cut personnel across the board for their survival.” Stating across the board infers that they were not cutting deadwood. Make sure you are honest in your answer. IF they only cut you then you should not state it was across the board, it was simply cutting costs by eliminating positions.
If you quit a position, that can be a little trickier. Ask yourself why you quit. Was the boss such a bonehead that he drove you out? But why, were you not receiving opportunities and challenges to grow? If you were being challenged and given opportunities you probably could have put up with a bonehead boss, right?
If you were fired, this is difficult indeed. To be honest but tactful, especially if you are applying for work in the same line. This is where you need to be honest with yourself in order that you can develop an appropriate answer. Was it an agreed upon separation? Are your strengths in client development and your position evolved into data entry only? Were you let go because you could not keep up with the requirements? In that situation I would state, “When I began with ABA Company I was heavily involved in client development, in which I excelled. Over time the position evolved into data entry, which I am competent but was not at the level that they would have preferred. It was mutually agreed upon that it was not the best fit for me or ABA. That is why I am looking to get back into client development and relationships where I can really bring value to your company.” You are letting them know what happened but ending in a positive emphasizing what you can bring to their company.
Most important in answering this question: be honest, end in a positive of what you can bring to this company and do not speak ill of your former employer. It will take practice and you must have this prepared before the interview. Do not wing this, trust me. You should have this prepared at anytime just in case you meet a contact at the grocery store you have a good, positive answer that will hopefully lead you to an interview.
Have a question on how to answer in your specific situation? Post a comment or go to our website and email me – I will give some suggestions on how to answer tactfully and in a positive manner. It is a tough thing to answer, you do not have to try it alone!
Lisa K McDonald
Career Polish
What are Your Weaknesses?
This question can be asked in many different forms during an interview, but the bottom line is you should be prepared to answer it in one way or another. It is a terrible question, I agree. I had to ask it when I was interviewing candidates and it was not much fun on the other side of the table either!
So, how do you answer this question? Let us start by first stepping back. Before you have even sent out resumes or filled out applications you should be prepared for this. You should do an honest self-evaluation of yourself. List your talents, your strengths, what you bring to a company, what your accomplishments are to date and yes, your weaknesses. You will be asked about all of these things so you should be prepared.
To answer the weaknesses question, you want to focus on how your strengths counter those weaknesses and how you overcome them. For example, I hate filing. Always have, always will. Hate it with a passion. I do not know why, I do not care why I just know this about myself. But, I am a very organized person, a list person, a person who likes to be able to set daily goals and check them off the list. I also pride myself in making the most of my time.
I use my strengths by creating a specific location in my office to put all of my filing. Through out the day I put anything needing to be filed in that spot and that spot only. I also mark a specific time on my calendar to file – from 3:00 – 3:30. Now each day is not going to allow me to file exactly at 3:00, but it is a goal, it is on my calendar, it is a priority. If I have to schedule a meeting at 3:15, I move my filing to another time, I do not ignore it. At the end of the day I keep my priorities, accomplish my goals and overcome my weakness.
Realize this question is an opportunity to showcase strengths, a realization about yourself, how you overcome and master your challenges. We all have weaknesses, no one is the perfect employee (or boss!) so it is important to recognized what qualities you need to improve on and how you do not let these interfere with your work.
A word of caution – do your homework, know what the position entails. There is nothing worse than being interviewed and your weakness is one of the most important qualities of the job. Case in point, I interviewed a young lady years ago for the position of Broker’s Assistant for a high level financial advisor. She would be responsible for excel spreadsheets, calculating various items in the client’s accounts and the like. The job description indicated an aptitude in mathematics was required. When I asked about her weaknesses, she told me, “I’m not very good at math, but I’m a people person!”
She did not get the job.
Lisa K McDonald
Career Polish
So Tell Me About Yourself…
The interview is set. You arrived a few minutes early, checked that you have a clean copy of your resume and references, dressed professionally – you are all set to knock their socks off during this interview. You are ushered into an office asked to please take a seat, watch your interviewer sit across from you, smile and ask, “So, tell me a little about yourself”. Ummmm
This is a very common question so do not panic. Actually, you should be prepared for this before you even woke up this morning. But for the many, many people who are not, let us look into this a bit.
First, let me explain, when an interviewer asks you to tell them about yourself, they really, really do not want to know about your kids, pets, high school glory days (unless you just graduated high school and even then…). Please, do not start with your winning the spelling bee in the third grade and detail every detail until the graduation of your children through college. Please. I beg of you.
This is also not a time that you jump at them and say, “I am a people person, I love people, I love working with people, I love interacting with people”. I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to ask someone (just because it is the sarcastic side in me coming out) “So, you’re a people person, as opposed to what, a dog person?” I never did, darn it, I wish I did. Please do not do this either.
So now you might be asking, “Alright Ms. Smartypants, what do I say”. Actually, I prefer skirts to pants, but that is beside the point.
This question is asked by one of three types of interviewers. The first is most likely inexperienced and using it as an icebreaker, or stall so they can prepare for the interview because they were running late before you arrived. The second is someone who is really looking for something – they have a specific person in mind they are waiting to hear key words they are looking for. The third is asking this question to not only listen to your response but size up your body language, general communication ability and “sum you up”. Does it matter which type asked you, no. You should be prepared regardless.
Prepared. Know your strengths, know the company you are interviewing with, know the position you are interviewing for – do your homework. This is a sixty to ninety second free forum for you to give your experience, talents, education/training and skills. A minute (but less than two) of All-About-Me time. Do not memorize this opening, but do be prepared. You will want to tie these qualities into the position that you will be discussing.
More specifically, you want to hit on a brief introduction, your key accomplishments, your strengths as defined by these accomplishments and how these are important for the prospective company based on your research.
Once you give this wonderful introduction of yourself as you have anticipated and rehearsed (without memorizing) just one last favor I must ask of you – shut up. The worst thing you can do is mistake their silence for anything but them making mental notes of those wonderful qualities. Do not feel as though you need to keep talking. Trust me, they have more questions for you and once they process your introduction, they will ask you. Just wait for it.
Lisa K McDonald
Career Polish
Lisa K. McDonald, CPRW
I assist those looking for the right job look right for the job! I am a Career Coach-Strategist and Certified Professional Resume Writer. I am also the Owner/Principal of Career Polish, Inc.
I work with clients on the entire strategy of job searching/career advancement including resumes, business communication, interviewing, networking, social media personal branding and presentation.
I ensure my clients have all the tools for their job search or career advancement and know how to utilize them.
After a comprehensive personal information gathering session, I develop a resume that serves as a personal sales brochure, and then the process of learning how to market oneself and their resume begins.
For groups I serve as a speaker, as well as facilitate workshops on resumes, networking, personal branding, computer usage and personal business presentation.
I also partner with companies who are downsizing to provide in-house services, and partner with various organizations to provide community outreach programs.
The intent of my blogs – to offer tips and helpful bits, with a touch of humor or sarcasm now and then – okay, more now than then…..
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