Many employers are looking for candidates with a strong sense of self-awareness. So when you go in for the interview, are you ready to talk about yourself in a convincing way? It can be trickier that it sounds.
Go over this list of statements, indicating if you agree or disagree with them, to determine where you stand. Then we’ll give you suggestions on what you need to work on and how to do it.
Take the quiz here.
Check out this cool survey by ExecuNet:
Do you network like a girl? If so, you have the advantage. In our gender analysis of data from our 15th annual Executive Job Market Intelligence Report, women assessed their networks more positively than their male counterparts, giving themselves much higher “excellent” ratings.
Source: ExecuNet, 2007
Dave Opton, CEO and founder of ExecuNet, offered a couple of non-scientific reasons for the divide. “Two-thirds more women than men said they worked on building their professional networking relationships ‘very often;’ and self-assessment is subjective and without universal measurement.”
Despite their super networking skills, women are still less visible in the corporate executive suite than are men, and a 2004 study in the American Journal of Business outlined some of the influential factors.
“Female executives do not achieve top ranked executive positions at the same frequency as do male executives. However, top female executives are significantly younger, and have fewer years of service with the company and in their job positions, than their male counterparts. This may be indicative of the movement to encourage and support women to achieve higher corporate positions, but it could also provide a reasonable explanation for the observed compensation gender gap,” write Joanne Healy Burress and Linda J. Zucca in the report.
ExecuNet’s proprietary research produced encouraging news: while the title and compensation gap exists, the differential was roughly just $20,000, and both genders expected about the same increase in wages from 2006 to 2007 — 7 percent.
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Now all we need is more cash, right girls?
Had to share this fantastic article with you today by Michel Neray, Essential Message. Want to find your inner rock star, check out the article:
You’ve got to be pretty special to make it to the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
According to the cover story, Amy Winehouse’s ‘stylized collection of R&B throwbacks that sound like a British hip-hop brat’s interpretation of Sixties Motown soul in the best possible way, gave Winehouse the highest-charting U.S. debut ever by a British female.’
It goes on to say; ‘Those who have only heard her voice express shock upon seeing the body that produces it: The sultry, crackly, world-weary howl that sounds like the ghost of Sarah Vaughn comes from a pint-size Jewish girl from North London, world-weary though she may be.
But what really caught my eye in the article was Amy’s own admission that she couldn’t believe it when a friend in the music business had seen one of her earliest perfomances in England and offered to hook her up with some studio time to record some demos.
“I didn’t believe he’d actually let me do it,” she says. “I was like, ‘What’s in it for you?” I just don’t get why he would be so willing to help me. Because I didn’t think it was special to be able to sing.”
Not anything special? That’s something I hear a lot from members of the Bull Pen — who all have their own special expertise, skill or way of doing things, but it comes so naturally, so effortlessly, it’s obvious to everyone but themselves.
Is it possible that you have your own special expertise, skill or way of doing things that comes so naturally and so effortlessly, it’s obvious to everyone but you?
Do you think it might be worth finding out what it is?
So, you think you got it bad? Check out this story:
Scientists get down and dirty on job
By Beth Sussman, USA TODAY
Tired of sitting in a cubicle punching numbers and pushing papers? Imagine searching for whale feces or diving into the waste lagoon at a pig farm.
Those are among the 10 worst jobs in science, says the July edition of Popular Science magazine, out Tuesday.
Jobs on the list range from studying garbage to diving for hazardous materials to gravity research subjects and Olympic drug testers.
“We realized that the best jobs in science are just kind of boring,” Popular Science editor Mark Jannot says.
“But bad jobs are bad in amazing and funny and gross ways.”
The staff of Popular Science votes on the rankings based on personal judgments.
Have you got some “worst job” stories to top them? If so, I want to hear from you! Share your story on this blog or feel free to send me an email (consultant@knocks.com).
My pal Kim Issacs at Monster.com & ResumePower.com asked me a great question this week for an article she’s writing – What shoud job seekers do in the summer months when key contacts may be on vacation? (And of course people’s minds are not all business in states like mine – Wisconsin – during the summer. Can you say festivals? Yep, already planning my attendance and checking out the bands coming to Summerfest.)
Well, it was a terrific question and really got me thinking. Here are some quick tips for summer job hunting – no they do not include laying out – but some tips may surprise you:
Brush up on your skills. For example, if you’re a bit behind the times in computer skills, take a class or two. Not only would you improve your skills, but you’d have something new to add to your resumes, AND more importantly, have the opportunity to network and connect with others in the class.
Giver’s gain. Help out someone with their job search. The more you help others get what they want, the more you’ll get what you want.
Enjoy the summer!
Note: As soon as Kim’s in-depth article comes out, you’ll see a link here. Be on the lookout!
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