There are three qualities that every job search needs to be successful: What you Believe. What you’re Committed to. Knowing how to Connect.
No amount of rehearsing and memorizing your answers substitutes for communicating with conviction, pride and genuine energy. So, get out your pen and paper and take notes.
BELIEF. The foundation of your job search is YOU. What you believe in. What you stand for. The quality standards that shape how you do your work, how you interact with others, what you strive for. The choices that you make about what you work on, where you work, why you do what you do.
What you believe is important. Your values. Your priorities in terms of the types of education and skills you have pursued and developed.
Whether you are a sales clerk or a chip designer, there are beliefs that underlie how you work and what you do well. Where you put your energy and attention. What you polish.
Knowing your beliefs and values is essential to being able to communicate proudly about what you do and how you do it.
COMMITMENT. The driving force behind your career choices, and your career journey, is your vision and commitment. You may be committed to a certain type of work, you may be committed to having an impact in a specific sector or on a particular kind of project. You may have a commitment to growing a body of knowledge, to influencing and shaping policies or programs or decisions. You may have a commitment to making money and gaining status. You may have a commitment to specific values, like truth in reporting or cost-effective energy solutions or whole child learning. You may be committed to making a workplace a better place to be.
When you articulate what you are committed to, it can help shape your vision. It can help chart your path in discerning what’s next and where you want to go.
Knowing and stating your commitment can also help elevate how you hold yourself as you make career decisions. You are a commitment to, rather than an accidental or passive job seeker.
Last but not least is CONNECTION.
People hire people. We need to be able to connect when we’re networking, interviewing, gathering ideas, doing research.
Most all of us work with others. We learn a lot about who we are in relationship by our experiences in the workplace. People hire people not only because of their job doing skills, but also because of their ability to work well with others. To be a good team member. To develop good relationships with clients and supporters. To build trust. To guide and to educate.
Okay, it’s time for you to connect to yourself and get clear. What beliefs and values guide your work? What do you stand for? What are you committed to? Where will that take you on your career path?
And, what helps you to connect well with others? How do you get along and develop strong solid relationships? How will you keep nurturing those relationships? How will keep improving your ability to connect?