Interview Preparation

My message to worksearchers is think like a designer. A designer works with amongst others three things;

Restraint, Naturalness and Simplicity

Restraint - in the interview situation you have approximately 45 minutes in which to get yourself into second round or onto the team. You might think you are there to answer questions, however you are also there to pitch yourself. You have a short period of time in order to that. Know what they are looking for, find the answers from your experience, knowledge and skills then give them what they are looking for and nothing less.

Naturalness - today employers are looking for high achievers, they are also looking for "fit". Think of it as being on a first date, build rapport, be yourself, ask questions, demonstrate your professionalism and commitment.

Simplicity - as mentioned the interviewer is looking for someone who can deliver results and fit into the organisation. Simple is not easy. Our ego determines more is better than less, big is better than small. Why do we fail to keep things simple? Lack of focus! "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" Leonardo da Vinci....it's simple focus and give them what they are looking for.

One last thing, do not spend the 15/20 minutes before the interview in your car or on a bench reading your notes. Spend it getting plenty of oxygen, your brain and body need oxygen to function and deliver results.

10 - 20 - 30 Presentation Rule

On politics and life

An article in last Saturday's Irish Times by Ciaran Hancock provided details of the Farmleigh "Think Tank". Having read through several paragraphs it was the second last paragraph which gave most clarity.

In response to why Mr Michael O'Leary of Ryanair turned down an invitation he said "I wouldn't participate in a three day photo-shoot, listening to the great and the good of the Irish diaspora, a lot of whom, like Bob Geldof, don't employ anybody in Ireland, don't pay any tax in Ireland! I'd happily go along for four hours on a Tuesday in Government Buildings, with no press, no photo-calls, and come up with a list of decisions, and then lets implement them. The problem with this Government is that it's always one forum, one high level commission and one photo-shoot away from making a decision" Just like worksearch, take responsbility, think differently and take action................

On a lighter note Rosita Boland on why she has no desire to take photographs (having traveled to over 50 countries with no photos). "I prefer simply to observe, to live undistracted and purely in the moment and let memory later filter back when it will and surprise me".

Living in the moment allows our creative powers to see all the potential opportunities available to us.

Be here now, be someplace else later

Entrepreneurs can change the world

References available upon request

The one key requirement of any new hire, contractor, or service provider in today's market is the ability to deliver results. If we break it down, a good CV demonstrating achievements and results will get you an interview. A well prepared for and well executed interview will go along way to securing work. However most employers will now follow up on the references you provide. As Henry Ford put it "you cant build reputation on what you're going to do". Reference checking is a crucial part of recruiting a great team according to Guy Kawasaki is his book "The Art of the Start.The goal of referencing is not to disqualify a candidate, but to look for consistency in how the candidate represented themselves. Employers are also looking for clues about whether the candidate can be effective in the organisation.

So here are two considerations;

1) Spend time considering the references you provide, ensuring they reflect the most recent period in your career and will add real insight into who you are, what you do and how well you do it.

2) Someone who you put forward as a reference is also a useful resource when it comes to preparing your CV, cover letters, interview preparation and maybe even the process of working out your next steps. So here is a novel idea, how about calling a previous employer, colleague and conduct a reference check. I am sure they will embrace the idea and give you some honest, useful feedback. Typical reference check questions below;

-What are your general impressions of me?
-How would you rank me against others in similar positions?
-What contributions did I make to the organisation?
-How do others in the organisation view me?
-What are my specific skills? What am I best/worst at?
-What are my communication and management styles?
-In what areas do I need to improve?
-How would you comment on my work ethic?
-Would you work/hire me again?

The Junto

We might be compelled to think that our network on Friday mornings is something new and different. In the context of what is currently available and accessible in Dublin then yes it is. However some recent research has pointed me towards Benjamin Franklin, who in 1727 convened the first meeting of a dozen friends and associates who would meet every week for the next thirty years. "I had form'd most of me ingenious acquaintance into a club of mutual improvement", which he called the JUNTO. In the days before formal education, learning came not from teachers or textbooks but from one's social network. . The Junto was part mutual aid society, part social fraternity, part academy, it's motivation was self - improvement, the wish to do good that would also bring them advantages or even profit.

Juntos are not the only precursor to what we do each week. Napoleon Hill in his odd but long lived book Think and Grow Rich, Hill advocated what he callewd the Master Mind - a collection of people aspiring to help each other think and grow rich. Richard Boles in What colour is your parachute advocated the Job Club as a means of support and inspiration for Worksearchers.

The social network or club is not a new thing, however what we can learn is that the collective will and mind can achieve great things. People have used networks and clubs for a long time to support their goals and interests. One word of warning though, ask your self are you a Radiator or a Drain!