Your Career is an Ongoing Interview...

Good Morning!

I hope this week was challenging for you!

I like challenges...and sought them out continually...WHY?

You don't really know what you are capable of...until you stand up to a challenge...or...

Don't stand up to the problem...

I learned a lot about myself and about the challenges themselves...

Both when I won and when I lost...

As I look back over my career...I found a commonality in every challenge that I took on...

Can you remember when you were interviewing for the job you now have and when that interview was over you said to yourself..."I am glad that this is over..."?

The fact is...it isn't over!

In a real interesting way...your career is an interview and if you treat it that way...you will always be successful!

Yes...your entire career is an interview...so don't breath that sigh of relief too soon!

The other interesting thing about taking this view of your career is that it recognizes that the interview questions change over time...well most of them...

Here are a couple of questions that are always asked...

Can you do the job?


Can you handle multiple tasks at the same time?


Are you able to prioritize your efforts and keep my needs at the forefront of your activity?

Ask yourself...How would you answer these questions?

If you said, "...I would say..."

You got it all wrong!

Your answers (if they are to be effective) are no longer verbal...

What?  I can't talk?  I don't know sign language...and my penmanship stinks...what am I going to do?

Remember the old axiom...Actions speak louder than words?

Focus on the "Actions" and you know the answer...

I said that the interview kept going...I didn't say that it didn't change!

Your answers are found in what you do...

After the talking period...you answer the organizations questions through your activity and behaviors...

All of your answers are now in the realm of non-verbal communication...YOUR ACTIONS ...and even more importantly...

YOUR RESULTS...

So let's dig a bit deeper into the ongoing interview...

Where are the loudest messages sent?

Most people incorrectly assume that the biggest messages are sent with the biggest accomplishments...

In actuality it is in the "little" things...

My Mentor once showed me that he would give his people a big assignment and then he would inundate them with little but critically important things...why?

Because that is life!

His people quickly learned that they needed to step back (OFTEN) and assess what was on their plate...and hit those small tasks quickly so that they could get back to their major project...

LESSON TO BE LEARNED:  The size of the task or request does not dictate importance!

I used to watch his people file away those little things...thinking that they would address them when the BIG thing was done...and would pride themselves at trying to prove their ability to focus by saying to him...I am going to file it away...and I'll get to it later...

That's not their call...if they only knew that if he asked for help or an opinion...he needed it...

Guess what?

Some of these people after 10 years of interviewing...finally didn't make the cut...he was tolerant but not stupid...their value was over-shadowed by the cost associated with getting their output!

Let's look at this a bit more...

His ongoing question..."Can you do multiple things at one time?"

Their verbal answer..."I am an expert at multi-tasking"

Their behavioral answer..."I'll do what I think is important..."

Without belaboring this any further...

His question was posed...not in the major assignment...but in the little things that he needed help with...

They looked innocent enough to be blown off...

"Can you take a quick look at this?"

"Can you help me with this?"

They were the ones that mattered,,,

Are you able to do those seemingly minor things without interfering with your commitment to deliver?

Is, what you deliver at deadline another excuse rather than what was expected?

Is that excuse...the list of those little things?  The things that may have been more important?

Let me say it again...Do you bring excuses to the table or excuses?

Is your signature...disappointing performance or success?

Just because you got the job doesn't mean that the interview is over...

In fact...it has changed from interviewing with a small number of people...to...interviewing with the entire organization.  Think about that one...It could be thousands of people!

Everyone is always watching and assessing...

Few people are really capable of making it through that series of cuts...unscathed!  (the real interview)

The important thing is not to bleed to death!

My advice...look for the real questions...they are quiet...then shift your attention appropriately...it is sometimes the quiet voice who is the decision-maker...he or she has no reason to yell! Their job is to decide appropriately!  They didn't get to where they are by making the wrong decisions...so...

What decision about you are YOU driving them to?

That person is a stellar performer...he/she delivers just what I want...when I want it...and isn't afraid to take on any challenge!

or

That person has an excuse for every failure...missed deadline...and disappointment...

Challenge...I welcome challenges...but for those who take the conservative road...or the road of excuses...

Look out!

Have a great day!

So what commonality did I find in every challenge that I took on?

You tell me!

Think about that!

Pura Vida!