Passion is defined as a strong emotion or feeling about something. We all are passionate about things in our lives: our family, children, hobbies, and, hopefully, our careers. I read the book The Corner Office by Adam Bryant. The book captures the thoughts of numerous CEOs in many different industries.
Specifically, it is about how they not only advanced their own careers to that top spot, but also what they look for in hiring people and promoting people inside their organizations. One thing that came out was they all make attempts to share and show their passions and they look for passionate people to add to their teams. The people they want on their teams do not necessarily have to be passionate about the work (although that helps), but passionate about anything. Why? Because showing passion demonstrates to the CEOs the individual has some fire and drive inside them and this is what they want from the people on their teams.
We often think it's only okay to be passionate at work about work-related items. But, that is not necessarily the case. Demonstrating you are passionate about, for example, coaching your daughter's soccer team shows you have strong feelings and emotions you put forth towards something and that can translate into drive about work. Senior leaders look for enthusiasm in their employees because if employees are passionate about something, then leaders can tap into that energy. If the leaders are good, they will not only welcome your expression of these passions but also find a way to tap into those passions and leverage them in the workplace (and so should you).
For example, I have a client who is a CEO and knows one of his employees is extremely passionate about the environment. Although this employee's role as Marketing Director does not primarily deal with the environmental arena, the CEO tapped into that passion by allowing her to lead the company's "Green" effort. Her enthusiasm about this topic spread across the organization and community leaders recognized them for their efforts. If she had never expressed her enthusiasm about helping the environment to her CEO, their efforts and recognition in the community might not have happened.
Some people are not comfortable expressing their eagerness or excitement at work about things that do not relate to their work and that is often because they have never done it. In these cases, it helps to start small. Taking small steps to share your passions with those you work with will give you the comfort level to start sharing more. And when you start sharing more, people around you will likely become more enthusiastic about what you're sharing because your enthusiasm will be contagious. Many of the CEOs in Adam Bryant's book said they like being around people who are enthusiastic about different subjects and who demonstrate their passions; those are the people they want on their team. So, what are you enthusiastic about? Share it and watch what happens. I'd bet others would pick up on your passion and joy and want you on their team as well.
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The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
- How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
- The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
- How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
- The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
- And, a lot more hacks for job search success!
Let us show you the secrets to getting a new, better-paying job you actually love. Sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp today.
Are you ready to land the job of your dreams (and leave the job of your nightmares)?
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