Category: Career Moves – Advanced Strategies to Master Your Next Moves

Tell me if this sounds familiar

You see a position posted on LinkedIn and it’s in your sweet spot, even the company’s mission checks the box for you.

You decide to throw your hat in the ring because you know you’re ready to make a career move.

You’ve just been waiting, cautious.

You aren’t interested in applying for a ton of jobs, just the ones that really spark your interest.

And, because this isn’t your first time, you do the things you know to do.

You may even remember that the market dictates strategy

So, you don’t buy into the hype about all the things that are wrong, you simply focus on what you can influence,

• You make a few calls
• You write a few introductory emails
• You take a good look at your LinkedIn profile and ask a friend in recruiting what they think (hey👋, if you’re reading this, you can ask me )

Check, check, and check.

Bada Bing, Bada Boom – your interview is scheduled.

Now the real work begins.

You start to research and take notes.

This isn’t your first time, you do the things you know to do

You’ve been the interviewer before so you have a pretty good idea of how this goes.

But what if there was one thing…

One tip that would help you bust out of the candidate pack

One tip that would help you stand out like a red rose in a garden of white daisies.

To be seen and heard in a way that makes you the obvious choice for this oh-so-exciting position.

That one tip is this:

Ask curious questions.

Curious questions are insightful.

They reflect your years of experience.

They are relevant to the company’s mission and the position.

Side note:

Some will tell you to build rapport by asking personal questions.

I’m not one of them.

While there may be an interesting tidbit to share, spending too much time on personal stuff will put you in the same bucket as everyone else who heard this before.

And, it lacks a critical element of building credibility: gaining the trust that you can solve the problem I have (problem = my open position).

If you want more on credibility, you can visit the 3-part series on confident humility.

Back to the main idea…

What I hear from most people is that they take in all the information they can so they can have the right answers

And they forget to bring curious questions

I’m not talking about the obvious questions that any run of the mill article will tell you to bring.

I’m talking about the curious questions

Questions that make the interviewer pause and say, “let me think about that”.

You might even take them off guard and walk together down an information trail that only you have found.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Do company research.

You can do company research in lots of places:

• Crunchbase
• G2
• Capterra
• Glassdoor
• Annual Report
• Current/former employees
• AI
• Google alert
• Website/press releases
• Follow employees on LinkedIn,
• Associations or boards that the leaders are on

2. Write down the questions you have based on the information you read

As you do your research, write the questions,

If you find those answers, write new questions.

Don’t write the answers, write the questions.

When you look for questions rather than the answers, you’re going to look places other people haven’t.

And, when you look in the places that other people haven’t, you’ll ask questions that other people haven’t asked.

You can move beyond the typical question and answer or what I call the tennis match exchange and insert smart, insightful and curious questions into the conversation.

Then, send me an email (or message me on LinkedIn) and let me know how it went.

Get out there.

You’ve got this.

I have a recruiting riddle for you: What is something everyone desires, no one can perform their job effectively without, and you have complete control over whether you possess it?

I’ll play the jeopardy theme song for a few seconds while you think about it.

….the answer: what is credibility.

(all those nights of watching Jeopardy will Gram paying off right here.)

If you want your next interview to be your best interview, harnessing your ability to showcase this powerful and persuasive trait is a necessity.

But, first, let’s do a quick review of parts one and two.

In part one, I talked about my conversation with a senior executive, highlighting how displaying confidence and humility traits is crucial but challenging. I defined a confidently humble leader and shared both the actions and impact a confidently humble leader can have at an organization and on their team.

In part two, I shared how interviews can feel uncomfortable due to the perceived imbalance of power.  And, if you want to make your next interview your best interview, you enter with curiosity, engage authentically, and exit with enthusiasm.

Entering with curiosity involves asking questions to gain more context and demonstrating emotional intelligence. Engaging authentically means explaining and exploring your experience and the role together, rather than trying to convince the interviewer. Exiting with enthusiasm is about communicating your genuine interest and leaving a memorable impression.

As I often do, let’s dig into this word, credibility,  before we talk about how to showcase it in your next interview.

Definition of credibility

Merriam-Webster’s definition of credibility is the quality or power of inspiring belief

Think on that for a minute.

Did you inspire belief during your last interview?

Did you present evidence to demonstrate your reliability and your trustworthiness?

Did you establish confidence in your competence and character?

Not easy to do in a 30 minute interview – which may actually be a 20 minute – after the pleasantries.

It is absolutely, 100% possible.

How do I know?

Because you are in control of your ability to showcase credibility in your next interview.

Credibility is a noun.

You can possess credibility and still lack the skills to demonstrate it during an interview.

Assuming you are one of the confidently humble leaders I’ve been talking with in part one and two, this means that there is a skills gap.

I’d like to help you close it.

In my experience, the corporate professionals who understand the 2 traits that raise your credibility will bust out of the candidate pack.

Credibility breaks down into 2 factors: likability and trust.

This is why you can have a great conversation with an interviewer and still not move forward to the next interview.

This is also why you can’t assume that your work with speak for itself.

To be credible, you want to demonstrate both: likability and trust

Likability

Likability (or likeability, there seems to be 2 accepted ways to spell it) isn’t about how popular you are. Likability, according to Merriam-Webster is the qualities that bring about a favorable regard. Or, pleasant.

From my executive recruiter seat, here’s what this looks like:

• Easy to talk to/no jargon
• Not arrogant
• Flexible when things change/can go with the flow (it’s likely that things will change during an interview process)
• Eye contact
• Uses their hands (I share this little hack in my Interview Studio)

This is one of the reasons why I don’t think STAR stories (or it’s relatives: CARL, STARR) are enough in 2024.

That model doesn’t put emphasis on the importance/value/necessity of likeability.

Skeptical?

If so, when was the last time you wanted to hire someone that you couldn’t see yourself enjoying working alongside?

Trust

Merriam-Webster’s definition is: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something; one in which confidence is placed.

One of the most effective ways a confidently humble leader builds trust during an interview is through the qualitative and quantitative evidence presented.

I realize that individuals may get hired because they talked about the right strategies and actions they took and character isn’t taken into consideration, but confidently humble leaders grow their influence and their career because of their character.

Your thinking: maybe, but my employer promotes people without character. Yes, its true. I’ve seen it too.

This means that there is a group of individuals hungry to be led by someone who has both the character and the strategic mindset of a confidently humble leader.

This means that you will stand out in the candidate pack when you demonstrate your trustworthiness during your next interview.

Confidently humble leaders build trust because they demonstrate these traits during an interview:

• Honest
• Reliable
• Professional
• Authentic
• Accountable

A final note on the Intersection of Likability and Trust

If you’re wondering how to effectively convey your credibility in your next interview, here’s a few things to keep in mind.

You are relatable. When interviewers can relate to you more easily, you establish rapport more quickly, this makes it easier to build trust.

You are an open communicator. If interviewers feel comfortable with you, they are more likely to trust your answers and feel confident in your abilities.

You are competent: Demonstrating your expertise and knowledge instills confidence in your abilities. When interviewers trust your competence, they are more likely to view you as a credible candidate.

While you are preparing for your next interview, think about this intersection, and when you are confident that you have effectively communicated your credibility, I hope you take the time to enjoy that win, regardless of the outcome of single interview.

Get out there.

You’ve got this.

Are you good at thinking on your feet?

Do you hold other people’s attention during a meeting?

Have you been told that you’re a good storyteller?

If so, it’s likely that you will rely on all of these skills in your next interview, but are they enough to make your next interview your best interview?

That’s the question in front of us today.

This is part 2 (of 3) of our interview series.

In the last newsletter, I talked about:

My definitions of humility, confidence and confidently humble.

And

What actions other people see you, a confidently humble leader, take

In this second part, we’re going to look at

What a confidently humble leader sounds like in an interview.

Let’s start with a few assumptions I have:

You already know that confidently communicating your credibility is the goal of an interview.

You already know that the value you deliver can be measured quantitatively and qualitatively.

(Line break)

Interviews feel uncomfortable due to the imbalance of power.

The word interview is derived from the French word “entrevue”, which means ‘to see each other’.

This suggests a mutual exchange or a two-way interaction.

What’s interesting is that this balanced, two-way conversation can be elusive.

Because, in reality, interviews can feel one-sided, with the interviewee being the one primarily observed and evaluated.

The interviewer holds the decision-making power regarding the outcome of the process, while the interviewee is in the position of trying to impress or meet the interviewer’s expectations.

The disconnect between the original meaning and the modern practice of interviews can disrupt the expected symmetry of a typical conversation.

What I hear from leaders and executives is that you don’t want an interview to be a one-way conversation.

·       You don’t want an interrogation

·       You don’t want an extended dissertation from the interviewer about the company and you have very little time to speak

·       You don’t want a “just the facts” style of interview

You do want a bi-directional dialogue,

Otherwise known as a conversation.

You’re ready to rely on those communication and critical-thinking skills.

You want an equal opportunity to be seen, to be entrevued.

If you are a confidently humble leader and you want to your next interview to be your best interview,

I’ll share this secret:

It’s not about you.

Seems counterintuitive, I know.

When you focus on how you look or sound, you will often miss the opportunity make your next interview your best interview.

Admittedly, not focusing on it can be difficult on a video interview (fortunately, Zoom allows you to “hide self view”).

Or, focusing on getting through everything you have to say without noticing if the interviewer is still listening.

Thinking of yourself less during an interview frees up your mind

·       Enter the conversation with curiosity

·       Engage authentically

·       Exit enthusiastically

And, by demonstrating these capabilities during an interview, you will be memorable.

Enter the conversation with curiosity

One of the mistakes individuals make when interviewing is thinking that they can only provide answers.

To borrow from Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, “Big Mistake, Huge”

Because

The interviewer is looking at your experience through their lens and you are looking at it through yours.

Entering the conversation with curiosity means you ask questions before, during and after the interviewer asks one.

·       Get clarification on something they said

·       Ask them to share more detail on a particular point of interest for you

Entering with curiosity will allow you to

·       Get more context

·       Demonstrate your emotional intelligence

·       Answer with specifics that are relevant to the interviewer

Engage authentically

Now that you are sitting on the same side of the table, figuratively speaking, you can engage authentically in a bi-directional dialogue.

As part of your preparation, consider that you are not trying to convince them that you are the right person for the job, rather decide that you will approach the conversation to explain and explore.

Explain what you did and how you did it

Explore the specifics of the company and the role

Rather than thinking that they hold all the cards, you are communicating authentically so you can mutually decide if this would be a career move that suits you.

Approaching the conversation from the same side of the table allows you to discuss the role together rather than looking at the interviewer as the problem you need to overcome.

Exit with Enthusiasm

I’ve heard people say that you shouldn’t show too much interest in a position so you don’t lose your “purchasing power”.

In my experience, I am always looking for enthusiasm.  This has nothing to do with volume or pleasantries, it’s about communicating your level of interest.

Because

I will go to bat for individuals who have a higher probability of accepting the position.

Remember, when I mentioned the value of being on the same side of the table?

Exiting with enthusiasm keeps you there.

As a confidently humble leader when you exit with enthusiasm, you are reiterating your interest and the impact you can make.

And, a thank you, but you already knew that.

Get out there.

You got this.

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss Part 3: raising your credibility during an interview

(a 3-part series on making your next interview your best interview)

The Genesis of this 3-Part Series

So there I was, on a phone call with a former colleague, discussing the realities of displaying both confidence and humility during an interview.

As a senior executive, she had a few interview experiences that appeared to favor one over the other.  And, after a delightful catch-up call, we were no further along to resolving the question except to agree that it was like walking a tightrope because demonstrating both these characteristics, which seem to oppose each other,  in an interview was important, even required.

We easily agreed that companies want to hire the best and the brightest.

We discussed that it was important to be confident, but not overly confident and tip into arrogance.

We also agreed that companies want leaders who will walk their talk when it comes to the company’s values.

In reality, most companies are on the path somewhere between their current culture and an aspirational culture when it comes to employees living out the company’s values.

What you should know about that conversation is that it got me thinking – as a great conversation will often do.

Side note:

If you check out my About section on LinkedIn you will read one of my core beliefs: Conversations change lives.

From this core belief, I prioritize my time, talent and energy because I know that the more my actions are aligned with my beliefs, the more satisfaction I feel from a work day.

Back to the main point.

Walking the line between confidence and humility is not a new idea.

Adam Grant defines it as confident humility and he puts it this way:

Confident humility is being secure enough in your expertise and strengths to admit your ignorance and weaknesses. In Think Again, I highlighted evidence that confidence without humility breeds blind arrogance, and humility without confidence yields debilitating doubt. Confident humility allows you to believe in yourself while questioning your strategies.

Before we really begin exploring this idea, let’s do some defining.

First, Let’s Define a Couple of Words:

I’m a big fan of words.  They are the building blocks of relationships.  If you have a great relationship, personal or professional, there is no doubt that you spent time exchanging words to cultivate that relationship. When the exchange breaks down or stops, the breakdown of that relationship is inevitable.

According to Webster’s dictionary, humility is the freedom from pride or arrogance.

When I looked online it said things like, admit your mistakes, give away credit and be open to other people’s opinions.

Interestingly, humility as a personal characteristic has shown up in job postings and I have seen it in the value statements at fast-growing companies.

Webster’s dictionary defines confidence as the state of being certain or consciousness of one’s powers

My definition of confidence may surprise you and I’ll share that with you in a minute.

Now that we’re talking the same language, let’s dig in.

What is a Confidently Humble Leader?

I have been in work environments where the culture was to catch someone else doing something wrong so that you can look better.  It bred animosity and “gotcha” behaviors in leaders.

There were very few confidently humble leaders to be found.

To show up in your next interview as confidently humble, you must ALREADY be a confidently humble leader.

Because

You can’t show up with something you don’t already have.

Let’s zero in on this differentiating characteristic for your next interview.

My Definitions of Humility & Confidence

Humility is the ability to see when you are wrong and the willingness to right it.

Confidence is determination in the face of the unknown.

As a confidently humble leader, you show up ready to demonstrate your controlled response to uncomfortable situations.

How Does a Confidently Humble Leader Act?

You probably already know that your beliefs determine your actions, but people can’t see your beliefs, only the fruit of them.

A confidently humble leader acts differently.  I’ve listed several actions I’ve seen confidently humble leaders take.  You may recognize yourself in several of these.

·       You are open to new opportunities

·       You transfer responsibility for important matters to others

·       You remain grounded and others’ focused when accolades abound

·       You pull others up

·       You stretch yourself for the sake of others

·       You remain steadfast when there’s trouble

·       You play big

·       You fend off anxiety through trusted counsel

·       You keep the faith

·       You behave in alignment with your values

·       You believe in the best for others and do something about it when you are able

·       You fight for those who are unable to fight for themselves and alongside those who can

·       You continue on

That’s what a confident leader does. Did you see yourself in them? I bet you did.

Here’s what others see:

·       People are drawn to your leadership

·       Individuals speak well of you when you aren’t in the room

·       Other leaders learn from you

·       You deposit faith in others so they believe that they can do something new

·       Your professional and personal growth is non-negotiable

The impact of a confidently humble leader will be seen and felt by those you lead and influence.

Before your next interview, revisit the times that you were a confidently humble leader, play out those scenarios again.

Because

when you have the belief and the actions that create an environment/relationships/opportunities that leverage the best in yourself and others for the sake of doing good, you will show up in your next interview as the confidently humble leader you are.

Show up as the confidently humble leader you are in order to make your next interview your best interview.

Get out there.

You got this.

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss part 2!

Companies want to hire the best and the brightest.

Individuals who can learn, understand, and apply information.  Every position requires savvy technical skills (technical = whatever specific knowledge you need to do your job), problem-solving skills, and analytical thinking.

These are related to your IQ.

Does anyone else remember when individuals included their GPA on a resume/CV?  I don’t see it much these days (that could be because the resumes I see most often are people who have quite a few years between that GPA and today, myself included).  But I recall the conversations about it.  The general rule of thumb was to include it on your resume if you had a 3.0 or better.

Your GPA was considered reliable predictor of job success.

EQ, on the other hand, is your ability to understand, interpret, and respond to the emotions of others.

It’s vital in roles that require teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal skills. Are there any roles that don’t require these things?

While there are tests that are said to measure EQ, during an interview process, we often rely on people to self-report through questionnaires or behavioral questions.

What Companies Really Want

Companies want to hire people with both the ability to learn and apply what they learn along with the ability to engage and interact harmoniously with others.

Is that too much to ask?

No, I don’t think it is.

But, there are popular opinions, commonly shared practices and prevalent advice that have put these desires in harm’s way.

Yes, we are creating a dangerous situation.

A few of the offenders

1. Overemphasis on qualifications and work experience. While qualifications and work experience are undoubtedly important, they are not the sole indicators of an individual’s long term success.
2. Neglecting cultural fit: Hiring for cultural fit isn’t about hiring people who are all the same. It’s about ensuring the person will thrive in your company’s environment. Ignoring this aspect can lead to a toxic work environment where high-IQ and high-EQ individuals may feel stifled.
3. Lack of diversified hiring strategies: Companies that stick to traditional hiring methods, miss out on diverse candidates who might not fit the conventional mold but possess high levels of EQ and IQ.
4. Neglecting ongoing development: Ongoing learning and development opportunities are particularly important for individuals with high IQ and EQ, who are usually keen learners and constantly seek to improve.
5. Ignoring interpersonal skills: A common misconception is that technical skills are more valuable than interpersonal skills. However, interpersonal skills, which are closely tied to EQ, are crucial for teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership.

In fact, according to a 2020 Leadership IQ report, Attitudes drive 89% of hiring failures, while technical skills account for only 11% of hiring failures.

Your Leverage

You may be able to point to instances during an interview when your technical knowledge or problem-solving skills is what tipped the scale in your favor.

Or you may just be more comfortable leaning on your IQ more than your EQ during an interview.

However, if you’re a HR leader or know an HR leader, ask them to verify # 5 from the above list.  Even though they would never name names, I’m confident that their experience will prove this study empirically.

Now that you know this, you have leverage.

Your leverage is to use this insight to your maximum advantage.

What that means to you…

This means is that you can stand out in a crowded candidate market by showcasing your empathy during an interview instead of sanitizing your story.

You can speak to the positive emotional impact on your team, culture and company that your leadership installed and cultivated.

Consider these questions before your next interview

Below are a few questions that may help get your creative EQ mind percolating:

·       How did you motivate your team?

·       How did you empathize with them during a difficult time?

·       How did you demonstrate resilience?

·       Did a former colleague express their gratitude for your leadership?

·       Are you an active listener?

Once you pinpoint a few of your key EQ strengths, infuse them into your next interview right alongside your technical and problem-solving chops.

Get out there.

You got this.

I was part of a large layoff in December 2019.

It stung, but I wasn’t mad.

The writing was on the wall, as they say, and my employer provided a generous package.

The problem, that I didn’t know at the time, was that my professional identifiers were aligned to my title and company and I was completely blindsided by how hard it was to make the switch from a company’s brand and title to my own professional brand.

My fragile professional brand

At that time, I had been leading large recruiting teams for eleven years and we hired thousands of people annually.

I saw numbers of well-qualified executives come through our virtual and physical doors.

Many of them had the same problem I did, maybe that’s why I didn’t see it.

If I’m being honest, I was just busy and figured it would take care of itself.

Chances are those executives thought the same thing…

that their work would speak for itself.

The problem is that relying on your work to speak for itself is like a whisper in the wind, no one hears it.

I should have seen it coming.

Long before we started talking about our professional brands, we talked about our professional image.  A person wasn’t a brand, that term was reserved for big companies or for internationally recognized celebrities.

Back then, leaders who talked about their image were public facing leaders whose positions required them to be worried about such things.

Those of us behind the scenes spent our time on much more cerebral tasks.

All of that has changed…

All of that has changed with the rise of social media and influencers and online everything.

Almost overnight, every employee, regardless of title or influence, was a “face” of the organization.  Their online presence – or lack thereof – created a surge of marketers and creators who could help an otherwise successful leader create a recognizable brand.

From my seat as an executive recruiter, it’s clear that there are some leaders who’ve embraced this model, strategizing how to position themselves as a thought leader, even paying for the nomination into certain circles.

And, then there is the majority of the executives I talk to.

They spend their time and effort on doing the work, rather than worrying too much about their public image.

While they realize that there is some value in their professional positioning and a little work is required periodically, they would rather be judged by their results.

Unfortunately, the rest of the world is already evaluating you.

Not overtly, that would be rude and your circle of colleagues wouldn’t say it out loud.

No, it’s much more subtle.

And, that’s what I should have seen coming.

The convergence of our instant world and our professional brands.

The convergence & recruitment (What recruitment taught me about brand fragility)

A lot my work as a career strategist is from my phone and Zoom.  I prefer phone calls when I talk to someone for the first time because focusing on what someone is really saying is paramount to me, but I digress.

Speaking from my 28 years in corporate talent acquisition, there’s something you should know:

Your professional brand is especially fragile during an interview process.

The convergence means that we are making snap judgements about executives much more quickly than we should and definitely more quickly than we used to.

All because we feel like we can.

We can look them up on multiple platforms and if we don’t like what we see or don’t see much, we are already forming an opinion.

Today’s executive job market

Today’s executive job market is a world where we have simultaneously created longer and shorter interviews.

There are more people involved in the decision-making process making it longer to complete a process and yet less time with each interviewer thus giving candidates fewer opportunities to convey their value with credibility and confidence.

Executives are judged as much by their interview readiness (articulate, thoughtful, concise answers) vs. a professorial or rambling explanation as they are by their work outcomes.

And, it is hurting them.

Careers are being stalled because they haven’t kept up with this shift in expectations.

The antidote

Through those thousands of conversations I’ve had, I have seen three common themes emerge.  And, for those executives who get these right, their professional brand is sturdy enough to endure the winds of a volatile job market.

1.     Be memorable

Even if you are just kicking the proverbial tires about making a career move, you will dramatically increase your chances of being found by executive recruiters if you spend time figuring out your unique positioning – your brand – on LinkedIn.

You probably already know that recruiters are on LinkedIn a lot.  No, not posting, but sourcing for highly-qualified individuals.

I call it power positioning. This is a combination of your experiences, education (formal and informal), environment and even your career expectations. The more you can effectively convey these elements of you, the more credible you will be in a casual meeting, networking event or interview.

2.     Be prepared

When you do find yourself in an interview, you should know the details of your resume cold.

I’ve lost track of the number of times that I’ve been speaking with a qualified-on-paper candidate who can not accurately and clearly share with me details of the outcomes listed on their resume.

Because I know that this person will be required to share their 20+ year career in about 30 -40 minutes, if I can’t be convinced, there is little chance that a hurried decision maker will be.

In order to be prepared, you will need to practice, practice, practice.  Ideally with someone you trust so they can let you know when you are unclear, going off-topic or using lingo that the listener may not know.

3.     Be specific

You probably already know that including your team’s participation/work in your explanation is important.  It’s equally important to be specific about your role.  This is the time to showcase your hard-won wins.

There’s a problem I’ve dubbed “we-itis”.

When good intentioned leaders forget that during a networking call, interview or even when they are catching up with a former colleague who you may or may not want to impress, it’s a mistake to couch every single win/initiative/goal as what “we” did.

And, we’ve all been burned by the good interviewer who turns out to be a poor performer.  One of the reasons they weren’t sussed out during the interview process, is that they were able to convey wins as “ours”.

The antidote is sharing what you did very specifically, you are helping listeners decide if you are the answer to their problems.  Otherwise, they are left wondering.  And, if decision makers are wondering, in my experience, the answer is “not interested”.

In order to combat brand fragility and not be left waving in the winds of change, executives can select any one of these themes and tackle it the same way they tackle strategic problems, lay out the plan and work it step by step.

We’ve all heard the predictions about what’s coming next:

• Jobs are going to be wiped out due to the rise of AI.
• Jobs that don’t exist today are the jobs that will be actually be in demand tomorrow.
• The rise of automation in recruiting will make it even more difficult for you to get your resume in front of a real person.

Pack on

• The ongoing battles between remote, hybrid and onsite requirements.
• The recent ban on non-compete agreements in the U.S. (side note: this will likely evolve before it’s effective)
• The sheer volume of applicants for a leadership position

…and the list goes on.

After we listen to talkers talk about their predictions,

Many people will get certified in the brand-new-shiny thing.

Some will consider changing industries.

Others will double down on their experience even if it no longer fuels their fire.

Some of these calculations may be right and many will be wrong.  They will absolutely change as more information is made available.

What these predictions can’t forecast is what it all means to you and your loved ones.

If you want to stop feeling like you’re getting hit over the head with every headline and hit “pause” on the worries continually buzzing around your ears, you will need to focus on the simple, unchangeable truths that keep us grounded.

I will shout this from the mountain tops (or from my computer)

Navigating out of the mid-career fog isn’t going to come from anyone but you.

• Your goals
• Your dreams
• Your desires
• Your definition of success

During the days of my talent acquisition leadership career,

I often considered how to solve problems in the right order.

The order of the problem solving is just as important as solving the right problems.

After my corporate career, I took the leap into business ownership and I had to learn the value of not prioritizing other people’s ideas over my own.

Thoughts like:

“they are more successful than me, they must know more than I do”

“they seem to have this figured out, I should do what they say”

Did nothing to lift my own fog.

I realized that in order to solve the right problems in the right order, I had to stop squelching my own points of view. And be willing to sit still and listen to my deep-seated ambitions and beliefs.

Not easy for doers,

But, doable?  YES!

How to solve the right problems in the right order.

If you’d prefer a clear career path, a fog-free road instead of a hazy horizon, just for a time, just for a little bit, stop listening to other people’s perspectives.

Your biggest advantage is knowing what you want to do next.

I’ve discovered that the clearer I am about where I want to go, the easier it is to get there.

To borrow from the world-renown author and leadership speaker, Stephen Covey: begin with the end in mind.

It boils down this:

Thinking ahead about how you would like something to turn out before you get started.

To my fellow doers, this means that we can be more effective and efficient (two words I LOVE) by pausing for a bit and not relying fully on our ability to get it done, think and react on the fly and make it happen because that’s what we do.

If you believe

Your career is a product of your decisions

and

Your success didn’t happen by accident

If you agree with these two statements, then you can effectively navigate out of the fog.

Because once you’ve decided where you want to go, you can use your efforts and energy, which you’ve got in spades, to support your journey.

.

When getting yourself out of the fog, the most important and first question is, what do you want to do next?

As a corporate recruiting leader, I would sit down 1-on-1 with team members on a regular basis.  Periodically, I’d ask them what they wanted to do next.  I was well aware that the majority of them would not stay in the talent acquisition space as they progressed in their career.  Recruiting is an intense field requiring the juggling of multiple priorities, tight deadlines and the constant pressure of finding the right candidates.

The most common answer was, “I don’t know.”

I’d like to think that I had earned their trust so my team members would be honest with me in those private discussions, and many of them were, even if they were surprised at first that I was genuinely interested in helping them figure out what they wanted to do next.

This highlights a reality of the fog: it’s a tough question to answer.

We’re trying to filter through all of the harsh realities and overwhelming number of predictions and balance our lived experiences against what may still be possible.

I have found that spending a little time in your own imagination unlocks a path that you may have never thought possible or makes clear that you’ve been on the right path all along, but you took a side path.

Oh, and here’s the best part, if you aren’t sure where you want to go next, you can use all that doing energy to explore what next looks like.

Maybe you’re like a lovely friend of mine who is a lawyer turned bagel consultant, or the delightful Ina Garten, who analyzed nuclear policy before famously opening her small gourmet food store.

Or, maybe it’s something less life-altering.

Deciding to solve the right problems in the right order and in a defined period of time to discover what you want to do next will clear the path for mid-career fog faster and more effectively than 10,000 predictions ever could.

Get out there.

You’ve got this.

so you can move to Round 2?

Tired of your first interview being your only interview with a potential employer?

Blame the #1 interview question that tanks most interviews.

You probably already know the question,

“Tell me about yourself”

It’s asked in virtually every interview and it continues to send people to the bottom of the candidate list.

Think about the times that you have been an interviewer, did you ask the question?

Most likely you did.

Or, some version of the question.

Maybe your question was “walk me through your resume”.

It seems like such a simple question.

So, why does it send people to the bottom?

If you’re new here, welcome! I talk about all things recruitment, interviewing and career move strategy.

If you’ve been reading Career Moves for a while, the heart of the matter is going to sound familiar.

In either case, it’s worth exploring how you can avoid making your first interview with a potential employer your last interview with them.

Let’s break it down into 3 parts:

1.     Why does this question get asked?

2.     What is the interviewer really asking?

3.     How to provide a stand-out answer.

Why Does This Question Get Asked?

Most people would agree that this is a softball question.

It’s a way for the interviewer to get to know you a bit before they dive into the “tough questions”.

Most people would also agree that they struggle to answer it because they don’t want to share too much or talk too long.

Sometimes, it feels uncomfortable talking about you rather than what you do.

Or, you just aren’t sure what to say.

Many of you reading this have been in the other chair.  You’ve been the hiring manager or interviewer and you’ve listened while well qualified people sound less qualified as they answer this question.

There is a simple way to provide a stand out answer, more on that in minute.

It’s the #1 question for a variety of reasons

1.     The interviewer may not have read your resume.

I know it feels like an affront after all the time and effort you put into it.

2.     The interviewer may be genuinely curious.

This is as common as the first reason with one very important caveat – the interviewer isn’t listening for you to retell them about your resume they have already reviewed.

3.     The interviewer is listening for HOW you answer the question less than what you say.

Pepper in these facts:

• Some people enjoy learning a bit of your backstory along the way during the interview and some prefer to keep the conversation fact-based and solely job related.

But, you don’t know which bucket the interviewer falls in.

• The interviewer panels have gotten more diverse. Yay!

But, you may be unsure about what to say because you don’t want to say anything that might put you in a negative light.

• It may seem like the interviewer isn’t listening. They are using the question to settle into “interview mode”.

But, you don’t want to assume or be rude so you trudge forward hoping they are catching some of what you’re saying.

No wonder it feels like you’re winging it.

With all these realities, you may think that the question has gotten harder to answer.

It hasn’t.

Good news, right?  I like being the bearer of good news.

2. What is the interviewer really asking?

It boils down to this simple question:

Will you solve the problem I have?

If you’ve been reading my newsletters for a bit, you know I’m a big fan of simple solutions and you also know that simple isn’t easy.

(thanks to Steve Jobs for providing us this quip to be used over and over again by those who seek to one day be able to say things so clearly and elegantly).

Hopefully, with the increasing numbers of interview trainings and unconscious bias trainings, interviewers are relying less on their gut and more on their heads.

As simple as the question is, I don’t want you to be deceived into thinking that it’s irrelevant to your candidacy.

Because knowing why the question is asked is a great start to providing a stand out answer.

And, I want you to be aware that a great answer – one that leads to the next round of interviews – isn’t going to just roll off your tongue and delight the listener when you haven’t thought about it for more than the time it takes a microwave to reheat your coffee.

3.Your Stand-out Answer.

Your stand out answer is dependent on how well you craft your professional narrative in the first few minutes.

Without generalities – with specifics

Without lingo – not everyone knows your lingo

Without filler words – you sound less confident

Without a high level overview that is a repeat of your resume’s summary section.

Without a meandering explanation that most interviewers tune out after 4 minutes.

Your stand out answer is a well-crafted and practiced story of your choosing that relates specifically to the biggest problem the company is solving (the reason the position is open).

It can be one meaningful tale from your current/most recent role or one that threads your experiences together (this is useful if you are changing industries).

In either case, you know this story because you have practiced it.

Now, here’s the secret sauce,

the key tip,

The simple ingredient almost everyone misses and yet, everyone wants to know.

Tell it in a way that demonstrates your emotional intelligence.

This is you demonstrating that you understand the key drivers, motivations, environmental agitators of your tale.

How was the problem impacting the culture, team, productivity?

What impact was the problem having on the wellbeing of the team?

Why is this the secret sauce?

Because we (the interviewer collective, including you) have all sat horrified by the number of new hires have failed miserably and we don’t want to make the same mistake…again.

In an updated 2020 study done by Leadership IQ, they found that

The majority of executive hires fail in their first 90 days because of their interpersonal skills not their technical knowledge.

If this is the first time you’re seeing this statistic consider it’s ramifications for a moment.

Let me know if you’ve had a similar experience.

• The new sales leader crushes their numbers, yet over the next several month, sales people start leaving.
• The new COO came from a well-known company and everyone expected them to bring all that know-how with them.  Instead, its been 3 months and just about every direct report has visited HR to talk about what’s happening on their team.
• The new VP of IT can talk technical circles around everyone at leadership team meeting, but they bad mouth their entire team and you already know that there’s going to be trouble.

The bottom line is that the new hire who interviewed really well is a nightmare of a colleague.  They fail because they lack the qualities, values or people skills that you expect from others.

In our world of remote/hybrid/onsite work plus the importance of culture and healthy team dynamics, interviewers want to know that you have the technical capabilities and emotional intelligence needed to succeed.

Bottom line:

Answering the #1 interview question with this in mind will finally make it for you!

You will become more memorable through the interview process and stand out as a top candidate.

Even if you don’t land that position, you will feel good about how you showed up for yourself.

#worthit

Get out there.

You got this.

On any given day, I spent as much time as possible on the playground when I was in elementary school.  If I wasn’t there, I was usually at home with my family, including my 4 siblings.

These two environments meant that at some point during the day in my young life, I would demand, “who told you that?”

They may have had heard it on good authority, but I was always skeptical.

They may have heard it from Mom, but I needed to hear them say so.

“Who told you that” or simply, “Who said” was an important question for me to ask when I heard something that was unlikely to be true, unfamiliar, or something that I didn’t want to hear.

Back in the pre-cell phone era, it was very possible that what was said on the playground got misconstrued by a half dozen people before it made its way back to me.

I knew that.

And, I wanted to protect my good name.

I regularly asked, Who said.

Though it was more of a demand… I wanted to know on what authority this hazardous or scandalous thing was spoken.

Scandalous to me was being told that I wasn’t a fast runner or not good at kickball or when my delighted sibling told me that it was my turn to do the dishes after dinner.

We grow out of some habits and others stick around

Who said carried a lot of weight with me then and it still does.

When I’m on LinkedIn reading articles, or I see stats, or hear a story, I’m still asking, Who said?

Because

I don’t pay much attention if who said doesn’t have the earned or learned wisdom, in my opinion.

Yes, it’s my opinion.  Who I think is a credible source may be different from your credible sources.

Maybe asking Who told you that, Who said or How do you know makes me skeptical person.

A cautiously optimistic skeptic.

Oxymoron?  Maybe.

You may have these same tendencies when you read stuff on LinkedIn.

When I look back at my journey from LinkedIn lurker to consistent poster,

I’m often thinking about that question that goes all the way back to my days on the playground.

Wanna guess when the pesky question comes up the most?

Jussst before I post.

Because I still want to protect my good name.

Before launching my recruitment solutions firm, I had a cool title, worked at a big company, and led a large team.  I pointed to all these as if they gave me the authority to answer that annoying little question, even though I didn’t use it.  I could if I wanted to or so I told myself.

Truth is, I didn’t have an answer for my own pesky voice asking, who said?

I wonder if the reason only 16% of LinkedIn members post regularly is because people are asking themselves that same question.

Who said?

And, you want to protect your good name.

Some days, before I hit POST,

that pesky little voice in my head is asking, who said?

Who said you could post about that?

You don’t want to add to the noise the pesky voice counsels.

Who said you were enough of an “expert” to say that?

You don’t know everything about it.

Why are you asking other people to pay attention to what you have to say?

Then there’s the unknowable question:

How will people react?

If you are among my skeptical friends, you may be asking, Who said too.

Or in the case of LinkedIn:

Who told you that you could post that?

What if I told you that those who are willing to answer their own pesky voice asking, Who said with the simple, courageous answer, I did, that those people are a few clicks away from

building your own community (not reliant on your current position),

designing an authentic brand, and

finding a way to share their earned and learned knowledge with people in and outside your industry.

When you create a rhythm of sharing and posting that aligns with your values, knowledge and causes that are important to you, I call it the Social for Good method.

And, yes, you’ll still be able to protect your good name.

Get out there.

You’ve got this.

Sue

CEO, Spectacle Talent Partners, LLC

Published on ERE. net and SHRM. org

Featured guest on numerous business podcasts

Recognized by LinkedIn as a Top Recruiting Voice