Stereotypes . . . Part Deux

In our last blog https://potentialessential.wordpress.com/2015/01/29/a-type-of-sars-that-helps-you-not-kills-you-effective-interview-techniques/ we talked a little bit about overcoming stereotypes. Whenever we talk about this topic, we remind ourselves to remind you . . . don’t be like the people that stereotype and judge to slow their ‘competition’ down. It’s not a competition!

As discussed, we’ve both experienced all kinds of stereotypes. Dawn has been stereotyped for being tall. Jenny has been stereotyped for having ‘ethnic’ hair. We could blog for pages on things like slights and micro inequities that can be used to slow down development and career advancement.

Stereotypes are assumptions based on some measure of past experience. Prejudice is stereotype on steroids. There no longer needs to be past experience for the mind to run forward with illusions and judgment. Both are rooted in the past, and neither are accurate predictors of potential or future behavior.

Don’t get bogged down in other’s stereotypes. And don’t use stereotypes when making your own judgments about career possibilities, colleagues and new experiences. As we often say at the end of our workshops, when you make it ‘to the top’ reach down and help someone up with you.

Can you think of a stereotype you’ve experienced and overcome? How did you do it?

How did you overcome a Stereotype?

We had the pleasure of conducting a workshop at the National Delta Phi Epsilon Leadership convention. We were truly inspired by the passion for leadership and were surprised how even early in a career stereotypes and off-handed comments exist. This not unique to women- people can stereotype you based on your extracurricular activities, appearance, gender, or field of study. But in this case we heard statements like:

“How can I be myself in a male-dominated field?”

Or

“Because am in a sorority (or fraternity) people aren’t taking me seriously, how can I change that?”

We believe that Eleanor Roosevelt was correct when she stated “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent!”

There have been times in our careers where we have been stereotyped or ‘tagged’ with a perception that was not accurate.

For example early in my career, I had it in my head that if I dressed like a man, worked like a dog, and was very professional that my career was going accelerate.   Turns out it doesn’t work that way! I had unknowingly reinforced a stereotype about myself that was not true. Instead, I alienated both men and women who were afraid to ask me questions and was passed up for a promotion because I did not engage with me peers or senior management. Basically, they did not know “me” or leadership potential. They only knew the projects I had completed. A senior manager who knew me outside of work even stated: “There is this cool person that I know outside of work and this strategic person at work. If they could meet that would be the person I would want to promote.”

I made changes to build my leadership style and a brand that I am comfortable and proud to call mine!

Here are a few ways can break through the stereotypes and wrong impressions:

  1. The stereotype disappears when it’s proven wrong over and over. So, exceeding in your work, being a team player, broadening your network and constantly looking for ways to improve are a few ways to dispel wrong impressions.
  2. What do you want to stand out for? Don’t ever forget who you are and don’t try to pretend you are something you are not. Establish and create this image instead of the image others have created for you. (create your Essential Brand)
  3. Be aware of the comments and determine what and how you want to respond.

What have you been “tagged” with and how did you deal with it?

Get the interview is only half the battle…staying on this short list is another!

When working with college students, we often get the questions related to conduct during interviews. There are three areas to consider when preparing for an interview and considering professionalism: 

Professional Attire: Rule of thumb…if you feel comfortable wearing what you are wearing to the interview out with your friends for drinks at a club at the end of the day, this is not professional attire. If you feel like you need to run home and change in order to go to a club with your friends, this is most likely professional attire. We see some truly cringe-worthy ensembles in interviews and new hires. Consider how your clothing reflects your skills or abilities.

Social Media: Clean up your online profile! The first thing a hiring manager will do is google you (yes, they know how to use social media too). Don’t get caught with photos that you would not want to show at a prospective job interview.

Communication style:   Any time you interact (in person, by mail, phone, or e-mail) with a prospective employer, remember they are evaluating you!   Be positive, upbeat, and professional. Be respectful in the way you conduct yourself at all levels of the organization. This includes the administrative assistant who helps to set up your interview, the recruiter, and the parking attendant who lets you in to the parking lot!

How you show up before, during and after the interview is a key factor when considering how you would perform on the job, so remember that first impressions count!

Are you the type of person who gives friends a ‘heads up’ when they’re off base on social media or in professional manner like dress or communication?

Matching experience to a job posting – what percent match is enough?

This is a great question and one we hear from both college students about to graduate and folks who have not been in the job market for a while.   There is a fine balance between not wasting your time and not giving yourself the opportunity! Here are a few pitfalls we have seen job seekers fall into:

  • Using job postings as you sole source of job search, especially for a job that’s a stretch beyond your current qualifications.
  • Waiting until you find a job that matches your experience 100% to apply.
  • Relying too heavily on job title vs. description of responsibilities. Job titles can go in and out of fashion, so focus more on the description of the role, experience and skills needed.
  • Not taking an interview because the match is not 100%. Every interview is a potential to connect with someone new and an opportunity to refine your interview skills – go for it!

How can you avoid these pitfalls?

  • Develop a comprehensive job search plan with goals and areas of focus beyond the web search (i.e. industry meetings, building your professional network)
  • Develop a method to answer the “apply or not to apply” question. We suggest taking the Activity/Experience/Skill developing a simple check list to determine if you have experience or if you have something similar that would transfer
  • Apply for position that are in an area of strength or interest when you have a minimum of 70% of the qualifications…don’t wait for the job with 100% match
  • Interview, interview, interview – connect with folks in areas that interest you, and ask for their help and advice. 

What are some different approaches you’ve taken in your job search?

A type of SARs that helps you not kills you….effective interview techniques:

If you are a new graduate or it’s been awhile since you have interviewed for a position there is a simple format to respond to behavioral-based questions interview questions.   The SAR format is a clear and concise way to articulate your Essential Demonstrated Behaviors (how you accomplished the goal) in a way a hiring manager can hear the key factors they are looking for. SAR stands for the: Situation, Action, and Result. Let’s take a look at each section.

Situation: This is your opportunity to describe the circumstances and/ or outline a challenge you had. This not the place to spend the majority of your time and provide too much detail. You will lose those who are listening and you will not get the chance to talk about the action you took and the result.

Action: Here is where you should articulate not only what you did but how you did it. Does this piece sound familiar? It’s the Essential Demonstrated Behaviors discussed in the previous blog https://potentialessential.wordpress.com/2014/10/20/transferrable-skills-what-are-they-and-how-can-you-make-them-work-for-you/ . Spend the majority of your time here!

Result: It’s imperative not to forget this piece. This shows the value of your action. You may have a tangible result (e.g., increase sales, develop efficiencies, improved a process, more customers) or a key lesson you obtained that show the importance of your involvement.

Build around five SARs that you are able to recite in common situations for the type of position you are applying to address specific questions.

Can you give an example of a SAR you feel represents your experience and abilities well?

When they say it will be a behavioral based interview – what do they mean?

There are several kinds of questions that can be asked during an interview, including open-ended, closed-ended [yes/no], comprehension questions, and alternate choice, to name a few. The three most common types of questions are opening (or warm up) questions, behavior-based questions, and theoretical interview questions. Most companies use a mix of these three types with a heavier emphasis on behavior-based questions.

Behavior-based questions are designed to predict future performance based on performance in a similar situation. They are mostly related to “how” activities occurred. Below are a few examples of behavior-based questions:

  • Give an example of a time where you needed to use your verbal communication skills to get your point across.
  • Give an example of a system you’ve used to communicate with peers or managers. How have you improved upon it?
  • Give an example of a time where you had to implement a change.

Behavioral-based questions provide an outstanding opportunity for you to relay your essential brand and Essential Demonstrated Behaviors. Don’t just tell them – show them!  See transferable skills blog for a few more tips: https://potentialessential.wordpress.com/2014/10/20/transferrable-skills-what-are-they-and-how-can-you-make-them-work-for-you/

What is your experience with behavioral-based question been like?

Transferrable Skills – What are they and how can you make them work for you?

How do you become the essential candidate with most potential to offer? Once you’ve identified your potential and established your Essential Branding Statement (http://potentialessential.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/why-marketing-you-counts/), we need to understand the best way to articulate your value in a way a person hiring needs to hear it.

Not only are employers looking for your skills, strengths, and experiences but also how you go about achieving your goals (behaviors). You may be surprised by the skills you have acquired. You may be unintentionally limiting your next steps because you don’t know how to go about describing the way you achieve goals. We are not implying that you should exaggerate or make up skills or experiences you don’t have. However, we have seen multiple examples of resumes and interviews (real and practice) in which skills and/or experiences have not been used to reflect the true knowledge gained and the behavior that was used to achieve goals.

Three “pit-falls” we see many colleague student fall into are:

  • Under estimating the leadership experience or skills acquired with activities such as: sports, extracurricular activities, clubs, sororities /fraternities, and charitable events.
  • Classifying leadership roles under extracurricular activities or hobbies
  • Downplaying skills acquired in a summer job; such as; working at a fast food chain or lifeguard

All of these activities provide you with experiences that are valuable and are transferable to responsibilities that you may need to perform in your first job. For example leading a charitable event on campus would require you to gain the falling skills and exercise:

  • Leadership & Accountability
  • Persuasion & Communication
  • Optimism & Resilience

Different resources refer to this as different things such as performance behaviors, leadership behaviors, or behavioral interviewing.  We think of these resources as Essential Demonstrated Behaviors, and there are eight areas we have identified that can prepare you for anything from informal discussions to formal interviews to articulate why you are the candidate of choice.

What is your most challenge experience you are trying to articulate?

Why Understanding Your Customer (aka Prospective Employer) Counts!

In the last blog we discussed Why Marketing Counts in your effort to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Now let’s take a look at how to make an even bigger impact.

Once you have a strong Essential Branding Statement, you can tailor your message to each specific opportunity that you might be considering. This can be done by understanding what the company is looking for and how your essential brand can meet those needs. The needs of a hiring manager can differ by job opportunity or company and still align with your essential brand. If we take one of the laundry detergent examples from the last blog, we can see how they further tailor their message to the customer.

Gain Original key message:

“Gain with Lift & Lock – cleans amazing so your clothes smell amazing.”

Gain Original Flings with Oxi Boost & Febreze Freshness key message:

“Not only are Gain flings easy to use, they’re easy on the nose! With 50% more of the scent you love, plus Oxi- Boost and Febreze, your clothes will be left clean and fresh. We defy you not to take a big long
sniff.”

This company created more effective and targeted advertising for their products by taking the time to learn the needs of different types of potential customers, and then messaging to those specific needs. They aligned products strength of making clothes smell amazing with the additional customer need for a convenient application.

Good resume design works the same way as successful advertising campaigns!

Often we see resumes that state what the candidate applying for the job wants not what the employer needs or values in a potential employee or position.

For example, in traditional objective statements on resumes we have seen:

Seeking an accounting role that provides me with the opportunity to use my skills.

This only tells the prospective employer what you want, not how you can be of value to the company.

If Gain had stated something like: seeking dirty clothes to clean that will provide me with the opportunity to make them smell great . . . would you have bought it?

Let’s look at professional entry level example for a job posting and see how you can align a personal brand to the opening.

Entry Level Accountant Position: Searching for a qualified candidate with excellent attention to detail, skilled in working with programs such as Excel, and possesses general knowledge of accounting and understanding of the general ledger accounts. Requires Accounting Degree, or Finance Degree.

Comment on our blog with your suggestion for an objective statement, or resume lead sentence that states both skill set, and shows interest in meeting the employer’s needs. By marketing yourself using your key branding elements, understanding the needs of the company and matching your skill set to the needs you have gives you a greater chance of breaking through the clutter and getting the JOB you want.