As a candidate you may be confused as to why sometimes your application, even though well suited to the position, does not get past the first round. I know of people who fulfill the search criteria but don’t get a chance to convince the hiring manager of their ability. Maybe their CV doesn’t highlight the skills as well as they think. Perhaps they are considered too experienced or too junior.  Or is it just down to the number of equally qualified candidates who have applied? It does seem that getting your application noticed is sometimes down to pure luck. So, what did my candidate do to stand out?

Cover letter

The candidate sent a succinct cover letter explaining what he could offer and why he was interested in the position. Four short paragraphs, highlighting his skills and how these would transfer to the new environment. Easy to read, convincing and to the point. Furthermore, it was addressed personally to me.

With LinkedIn’s quick apply option, the number of cover letters has decreased significantly. For every 100 applicants I receive, I probably only receive five letters. Some of these are so long and so unclear that it is tough to take it all in, especially when the text goes onto a second page. Others are just generic texts sent out with each application. Sending a well-written cover letter, in one PDF document with your CV, will make you stand out.

CV

CV formats vary per country, with many Swiss employers even expecting a photo and date of birth on applications. Modern CVs seem to have become more colourful, more focused on design with icons, arrows and, on one CV I recently received, a candidate holding a duck.

Research shows that a recruiter’s eyes are drawn to the upper part of the first page and the left-hand side of the paper. Therefore, a short text indicating your skill set at the top, and your accomplishments listed by bullet point under each work experience, are advisable. And don’t expect the recruiter to understand your company jargon. You may be underselling yourself if it isn’t clear at first sight what you mean.

This candidate’s CV was two pages long, with his work history, skills and achievements clearly explained. No colours, no icons and no ducks! His experience spoke for itself.

Be informed

Although the discussion was an informal chat to gain a better understanding of his expectations, the candidate had clearly done his research on my client’s company and was well-informed on the product. In the course of a very short discussion, he demonstrated enthusiasm, flexibility and willingness to learn: qualities that matched my client’s values. Contrast this with some interviews I have conducted in the past where candidates have clearly not taken the time to acquaint themselves with the company or products, with the exception of a cursory look at the company website.

In today’s challenging times the job market is becoming more competitive and candidates need to do everything to maximize their chance of success. As for yesterday’s candidate, I can’t yet say whether he will get the job. But, as a candidate who didn’t match the brief completely, he has done everything he can to ensure that he progresses to the next round. I wish him luck!

This article first appeared on LinkedIn Pulse.

The post How Candidates Stand Out appeared first on SC Career Transition.

In her bestselling memoir, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, Bronnie Ware shares her patients’ deepest regrets so that others may learn from their mistakes and benefit from their clarity and wisdom.  

Of course, there are many reasons why people shy away from expressing their feelings. Sometimes, it’s in an effort to keep peace. Other times, it runs deeper – from being afraid to acknowledge strong feelings (even to ourselves) to being taught to keep certain emotions in check. Particularly in the workplace, showing our feelings is often seen as a sign of weakness.

Contrary to social norms and conventions, paying attention to our feelings and those of others is a key feature of emotional intelligence. In fact, studies have shown that employees with higher levels of emotional intelligence tend to earn more, have better interpersonal skills, make better leaders, and can maintain resilience, ward off stress, and achieve higher levels of well-being (Lopes et al., 2006b; Ryan & Deci, 2001).

The key takeaway is that emotional intelligence matters in every area of your life – particularly in the workplace.

So, what is emotional intelligence and how can you develop it?

Emotional intelligence is often defined as the degree to which we can perceive, identify, and understand emotions and then use this information for personal growth or to deepen our relationships. This intelligence can be applied to problem-solving, decision-making, and how we communicate throughout our daily lives. To be sure, this requires a great deal of self-awareness and attention.

While this emotional awareness comes naturally to some people, others can still get there with a little practice. How so?

1. Give other people your full attention.

David Goleman, the author of the international best-sellers Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence, suggests that emotional intelligence requires self-awareness and empathy, both of which can be nurtured by becoming more attentive.

In our digital age, we often get distracted by our apps when we should be focusing on the person in front of us. The next time you’re in a meeting or out for lunch with someone, silence your phone and focus entirely on the other person. Within minutes, you will see how being present, open, and attuned can benefit your relationship.

• Be mindful of your emotions.

Practicing mindfulness can increase your emotional awareness and understanding (Charoensukmongokol, 2015). The mere act of noticing your thoughts and feelings over time – without judgement, interference, or repression – will help you to perceive different emotional states within yourself and others. To get started, I recommend listening to a guided body scan meditation on YouTube, or using the apps Calm and Headspace.

• Keep an emotional intelligence journal

Before you can reap the benefits of emotional intelligence in the workplace, you must learn to recognize your emotions. I recommend that you keep a journal for a few weeks to encourage self-reflection. At the end of each day, ask yourself such questions as: What emotions did I feel today? How did this impact my responses to my colleagues or my circumstances? Could I have responded differently to achieve a better outcome? How did my reactions influence others? How did these emotions affect my workplace performance? How sensitive was I to other people’s feelings and emotions? What did I do well and where could I improve?

• Take a step back from the situation to process what happened and calm down.

In addition to being aware of your emotions, it’s vital to know how to manage, regulate, and appropriately express them. The next time you are overwhelmed by a strong negative emotion, try to take a step back and think before you react. Going for a walk around the office or outside in the fresh air can help you to process your emotions and get them under control, so that you can consider all the ramifications before moving forward. Alternatively, if you need to reply to an email, I recommend preparing and saving it in draft form. Once you are in a calm headspace, you can reread it to ensure it’s appropriate. In a word: Many a problem can be avoided by taking a “time out” before reacting.

• Try to see things from the other side.

Often, we’re so focused on what we want and on being right that we rarely consider the fact that someone else may see things differently. The ability to understand a different perspective is beneficial not only during conflicts but also in leading brainstorming sessions, managing projects, and identifying better processes. Focus on understanding different points of view and rationales. Even if you don’t agree with what the other person is saying, it’s important to validate them and show that you understand their position.

Since emotional intelligence is critical to success and well-being, one of the best ways to ensure that you live without regret is to learn how to identify and express your feelings. Emotional intelligence can be developed. So start today!

The post Emotional Intelligence: A Strategy for Personal and Professional Success appeared first on SC Career Transition.

Psychologists often refer to this cognitive bias as the “Dunning-Kruger effect.” Interestingly, most people rate their skill levels and intelligence as “above average,” which is, of course, statistically impossible. This can have a profound impact on what people believe, the decisions they make, and the actions they take. And, in my case, it impacted the recruitment process.

When you’re interviewing, there’s a high likelihood that you’ll be asked to identify and describe your key skills for the job. Of course, we all aim to highlight the skills the hiring company is looking for. However, it is important to be realistic, honest, and transparent to ensure you can perform on the job.

So how can you avoid overestimating your abilities? You can start by following these three steps:

• Ask for feedback.

Speak to the five people who know you best – whether colleagues, your boss, family members, or friends. Ask them about your strongest skills and to provide you with examples. Then, ask which skills you can improve upon and encourage them to provide you with examples once more.

• Reflect on your achievements.

What are your career highlights to date? What skills did you draw on that enabled you to perform at your best? What did your colleagues and boss say about the achievements? Make a list of the skills that enabled you to succeed and then compare them to the feedback you received from your inner circle. Are there similarities, important differences, and “hidden skills” that you can explore and develop?

• Continue learning.

The problem with overestimating your skill level is that there will always be areas where you will lack knowledge of what the high end of the scale looks like. Generally speaking, people who are highly skilled are aware of the areas they need to improve upon and take the initiative to do so. Fortunately, there are many online resources you can leverage to increase your knowledge, including massive open online courses and YouTube tutorials.

If you think that you’re already self-aware and that this doesn’t concern you, I’ll issue a word of caution. There are no exceptions. The Dunning-Kruger effect influences everyone’s behavior, decisions, and even employability. The next time a recruiter asks you about your skills, learn from my mistake by ensuring you know what excellence looks like before lumping yourself into that category.

The post How Self-Awareness can help you to Land your Dream Job appeared first on SC Career Transition.

With the advantage of hindsight, Jobs pointed out: “I didn’t see it then, but being fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”

Alongside several of his former colleagues, Jobs went on to launch the computer company, NeXT and eventually Pixar Animation Studios. The rest, as they say, is history.

His story is not unique. Professional setbacks are tough, whether they arise from redundancy, an unsuccessful job search, or restructuring. There is a tendency to take setbacks personally to the point where they affect your self-esteem, perception of value, and confidence – leading to feelings of unhappiness, stress, lack of motivation and energy, and personal and professional relationship challenges.

Yet, having confidence in ourselves is a key predictor of success. Said another way, if you do not believe in yourself and your capabilities, nobody else will. Confidence helps you to build the kind of resilience that will get you through life’s ups and downs. It also helps you to perform at peak levels – enabling focus, a greater commitment to tasks, and the flexibility to creatively navigate challenges.

That being said, we are not born with confidence and our level of confidence doesn’t remain constant throughout our lives. Self-confidence waxes and wanes, and takes work to build, develop, and maintain. The good news is that, by taking decisive actions, you can develop greater self-confidence that will enable you to navigate life’s ups and downs with ease and remain focused on your long-term goals.

Here are five tried-and-tested steps:

1. Think back to some of your most impressive accomplishments. What helped you to achieve these? What strengths did you draw on? Once you’ve identified your strengths, think about two new ways that you can leverage them in the coming weeks. Write these down, commit to them, and then track your milestones along the way.
2. Try something new and challenge yourself, whether joining a cooking class, a running group, or volunteering for a cause you’re passionate about. Taking on new challenges and succeeding can help boost your confidence and sense of productivity.
3. Avoid negative self-talk and a worst-case scenario mindset. Henry Ford once said “whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” When we expect the worst, we are often too afraid to take advantage of new opportunities. Turning this on its head, imagine the best-case scenario. To help you with this, I encourage you to watch my favorite TED Talk, “Why we all need to practice emotional first aid” by Guy Winch.
4. Ask for feedback. It’s an important life skill to learn how to seek feedback and use constructive criticism to improve. Have a discussion with your (former) line manager or colleagues to find out what you do well and where you can improve. This will help you to develop on both a personal and professional level, and become more confident in your abilities. Quite simply, confident people are better at receiving both positive and negative feedback.
5. Set small goals and achieve them to pile up success. Achieving goals, even small ones, helps us to gain confidence in ourselves and our abilities. Make sure you set daily goals, track them, and celebrate your successes. Don’t underestimate the importance of doing this to boost your confidence levels.

Though it’s often overshadowed by your skills and expertise, confidence is one of the core building blocks of career and life success. By following these five simple steps, you can develop your confidence, bounce back from setbacks, and achieve your goals.

The post Five Steps to Build your Confidence and Improve your Personal and Professional Life appeared first on SC Career Transition.