blueskyresumesblog

Imagine a two-year long job interview

I'm a bit of a political junkie, so I've been following the Presidential race for months now - even though the actual election is still almost a year away.

I'm from the UK and things are very different there - election cycles last for weeks, not years. So this two-year campaign seems a tad excessive to me, and it made me wonder if the length of the cycle is part of the reason why Americans have such a low opinion of politicians (don't flame me! I said 'part of the reason'!)

I mean, how well any of us would fare if our job interviews lasted for two years? What secrets, mistakes and prior failures would interviewers be able to learn about if you had to spend 24 months making your case for a new position? Imagine how it would feel to finally admit "Yes, I under-estimated the cost of that new computer system back in 1993" or 'You got me - I really thought I had time to finish that project before the deadline and I was wrong," only to have it written up into an article in the company newsletter and distributed around for everyone to read and opine on.

I have to think that by the time you finally got the job, everyone would be a little tired of you, and any mystique you started out with would pretty much be gone!

Do You Need a Hobby?

Pastel Journal points to a New York Times article linking hobbies to improved job performance.

According to the article, doing something you love stimulates creativity and refreshes a tired mind. But there are also other benefits:

Hobbies also enhance self-esteem and self-confidence. Feeling that you are solely defined by your job — even if it is going well — can raise your chances of experiencing anxiety, depression and burnout, because you don’t have a perception of yourself outside of work, said Michelle P. Maidenberg, a psychotherapist and business coach in New York, and clinical director of Westchester Group Works, a center for group therapy.

“When people rely only on their role at work to foster self-esteem, that alone cannot typically fulfill their needs,” she said. If you are unhappy with your work performance, you are more inclined to define yourself as inadequate, but if your identity is varied — businesswoman, mother, wife, painter, cook — you can reflect on your success in those other things, she said.

As our work days become increasingly stressful and demanding, and technology ensures that our bosses can reach us at all hours of the day and night, I think hobbies - particularly those that are creative in some way - are more important than ever.

Read the whole article here.

What do you think of my resume?

Before sending out resumes, many people ask for opinions and feedback from people around them, including friends, family and co-workers.

Feedback is good - often we need an objective opinion, especially on a document as personal as a resume. But I recommend being careful about whose advice you seek.

When someone asks us for feedback, we want to help. We want to offer suggestions because we've been asked for our contribution. That's natural and human. In fact, it's very rare for someone to say 'I'd love to give you my opinion but honestly I don't know much about this subject."

 That's actually the answer most people should give though, when you approach them for help with your resume. Most of your friends and family won't have experience hiring people into positions like yours. Nor will they have any advanced knowledge of the art and science of resume writing. And yet, they will offer their opinions, many of which will contradict the opinion of someone else you asked, and you will make the changes because you don't know either!

That's why I recommend asking only a select group of people for their feedback on your resume. Ask only  recruiters and managers who regularly hire for your profession. (If you have a professional resume writer for a friend, ask that person too).

You should also ask only one question: "What impression do you get of me when you read this resume?"

DON'T ask a wide-open question like "what do you think of this resume?" because everyone will feel the need to offer criticism which will often be unfocused and unhelpful. Asking about the impression your resume makes is likely to get you much more focused information, such as "I think this resume makes you look more junior than you really are" or "I don't get a sense of accomplishment and impact."

And when you're done collecting feedback, just remember that you'll never please everyone. Even the most experienced hiring managers are carrying around unique prejudices and viewpoints, So focus on the common threads amongst the comments you receive.