In a tight job market, like the current one, there are a lot of people looking for jobs and not a lot of jobs looking for people. You don't have to be a mathematician to know that the higher the unemployment rate the larger the number of people who are chasing the limited job opportunities.
With so many people unemployed today, you would think that there would be a lot of highly-qualified people looking for work in every industry. But that has not been my experience.
During the last 45 years I have interviewed hundreds of candidates seeking employment in positions ranging from sales and marketing to administration and purchasing, to human resources and operations. From these interviews I have drawn several conclusions.
First, many candidates are unprepared for the interview, knowing little more than my company has a job opening. They do little homework. Their lack of preparation quickly reveals the candidate is not knowledgeable of my company (it's products or services), the industry or, the competition. There is really no excuse for this ignorance. A wealth of company information is a click away via my company's web site.
Second, the focus of many candidates is on what they expect to get from the company. They have not considered what they can provide the company in exchange for a job or position. In reality, job interviewing is bartering. The candidates offers something—talent, education, experience, enthusiasm, problem solving ability—for something the potential employer has—a challenge, paycheck, prestige, opportunity, training, security. For success in the employment game , there cannot be one winner; there must be two: the employer and the employee.
In my interviews with candidates, I find it informative, educational, and useful to ask potential employees two questions: Question 1. What individual has had the most influence on your life and why? Question 2. What is the title of the last book you read?
For most people, the answer to "Who has had the most influence on your life?" is easy. The answers most often given are: my mother, my father, a grandparent, teacher or, a close relative. Answers as to why often provide an insight into the values of the candidate. "My grandfather taught me the value of hard work." Or, "My 10th. grade history teacher taught me that what goes around, comes around."
Once I know who had the big impact on the candidates life, I follow up with another question: "Why were they so influential?" The answer to why reveals a lot about the candidate and gives insight into their values. People often say, "My mother taught me to care for others and to be polite." "My father taught me discipline and to finish each job I start. His motto was, if it is to be, it is up to me. He taught me self-reliance." "Mrs. Johnson, my 10 grade history teacher, opened the world to me. Moreover, she taught me to apply the knowledge I was learning to my everyday life. Places, empires, and events came alive and relevant as she spoke."
The answer to my second question, "What is the last book you read?," is especially revealing. For many people, the longer they have been out of a formal education program—high school, trade school, college or graduate school—the more likely they won't have a book title to tell you. I think of this as, the inverse relationship between formal education and reading. The longer the person has been out of school, the less likely they are to have read a book recently.
I find it distressing, but for many people the last book they read was a text book that was required reading. Now, that they are out of a formal learning program, they don't feel the need to read and, they don't!
It's not surprising that today many book stores are going out of business. There are several reasons for this. The primary reason being, if people don't read, they aren't buying books. As someone said, the person who doesn't read is no better off than the person who can't read.
It takes discipline to read. And you must make an investment in time and energy. But the payoff is big if after reading you apply the principles that resonate with you.
Without execution, information is only potential power. It is application of information that transforms the potential power (information) into kinetic energy (the results). People find achieving their goals easier and quicker when they apply what they have learned.
If you want to become more successful, then become a better reader.
HOG THOUGHT: Often, success is just an action step away. To be successful in any field, you have to take action. Employers are looking for people who are prepared for success and willing to work for it. Don't talk to a potential employer about how valuable you are. Provide evidence that you will continually add value to their organization.
HOG QUOTE: "Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for."—Socrates
HOG ACTION: Assume the responsibility for your own success: read books, magazines, attend seminars listen to tapes and CDs, ask questions and seek advice of experts in your field.
With so many people unemployed today, you would think that there would be a lot of highly-qualified people looking for work in every industry. But that has not been my experience.
During the last 45 years I have interviewed hundreds of candidates seeking employment in positions ranging from sales and marketing to administration and purchasing, to human resources and operations. From these interviews I have drawn several conclusions.
First, many candidates are unprepared for the interview, knowing little more than my company has a job opening. They do little homework. Their lack of preparation quickly reveals the candidate is not knowledgeable of my company (it's products or services), the industry or, the competition. There is really no excuse for this ignorance. A wealth of company information is a click away via my company's web site.
Second, the focus of many candidates is on what they expect to get from the company. They have not considered what they can provide the company in exchange for a job or position. In reality, job interviewing is bartering. The candidates offers something—talent, education, experience, enthusiasm, problem solving ability—for something the potential employer has—a challenge, paycheck, prestige, opportunity, training, security. For success in the employment game , there cannot be one winner; there must be two: the employer and the employee.
In my interviews with candidates, I find it informative, educational, and useful to ask potential employees two questions: Question 1. What individual has had the most influence on your life and why? Question 2. What is the title of the last book you read?
For most people, the answer to "Who has had the most influence on your life?" is easy. The answers most often given are: my mother, my father, a grandparent, teacher or, a close relative. Answers as to why often provide an insight into the values of the candidate. "My grandfather taught me the value of hard work." Or, "My 10th. grade history teacher taught me that what goes around, comes around."
Once I know who had the big impact on the candidates life, I follow up with another question: "Why were they so influential?" The answer to why reveals a lot about the candidate and gives insight into their values. People often say, "My mother taught me to care for others and to be polite." "My father taught me discipline and to finish each job I start. His motto was, if it is to be, it is up to me. He taught me self-reliance." "Mrs. Johnson, my 10 grade history teacher, opened the world to me. Moreover, she taught me to apply the knowledge I was learning to my everyday life. Places, empires, and events came alive and relevant as she spoke."
The answer to my second question, "What is the last book you read?," is especially revealing. For many people, the longer they have been out of a formal education program—high school, trade school, college or graduate school—the more likely they won't have a book title to tell you. I think of this as, the inverse relationship between formal education and reading. The longer the person has been out of school, the less likely they are to have read a book recently.
I find it distressing, but for many people the last book they read was a text book that was required reading. Now, that they are out of a formal learning program, they don't feel the need to read and, they don't!
It's not surprising that today many book stores are going out of business. There are several reasons for this. The primary reason being, if people don't read, they aren't buying books. As someone said, the person who doesn't read is no better off than the person who can't read.
It takes discipline to read. And you must make an investment in time and energy. But the payoff is big if after reading you apply the principles that resonate with you.
Without execution, information is only potential power. It is application of information that transforms the potential power (information) into kinetic energy (the results). People find achieving their goals easier and quicker when they apply what they have learned.
If you want to become more successful, then become a better reader.
HOG THOUGHT: Often, success is just an action step away. To be successful in any field, you have to take action. Employers are looking for people who are prepared for success and willing to work for it. Don't talk to a potential employer about how valuable you are. Provide evidence that you will continually add value to their organization.
HOG QUOTE: "Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for."—Socrates
HOG ACTION: Assume the responsibility for your own success: read books, magazines, attend seminars listen to tapes and CDs, ask questions and seek advice of experts in your field.
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