Education

Most executives feel some level of apprehension when it comes to searching for a new job, especially if it’s been a while since they’ve had to do it. But then they work hard on their executive resume, networking, and improving their personal brand, and finally land that interview. However, the work is only beginning. You need to do your homework before going into a job interview because it can be the difference between being considered a viable candidate or having your resume pushed to the side. Companies want to hire someone who shows they are willing to do their due diligence in order to make a quality decision. Having the best-written resume is paramount, but those resumes don’t guarantee you are a perfect fit for any given job. Here are important points to research prior to going into a job interview.

Are the stories being told within your organization today the kind of stories that clarify your desired culture? Storytelling is one of the most effective and impactful methods for communicating the desired culture of your organization to its members. For centuries, tribes of all kinds have utilized storytelling to support their desired culture. In man’s early history, those stories were told around the campfire each evening, with tribe members going to sleep with a clear image of preferred tribe behaviors, values, and norms in their minds.

What’s that line, “change is inevitable,” right? Well that change has come to the recruiting world in a big way, and as recruiters, it’s up to you to work with these changes and keep the talent pipeline into your company open and flowing.

The world of work is constantly changing. Not least because of the impact of technology, which is constantly progressing and evolving in order to help organizations succeed. This is no different when it comes to the government. It needs to deliver information and services to people anywhere and anytime, on any device or platform. As such, there’s been a huge focus in improving digital services in order for the government to thrive.

I spend a lot of time listening to job seekers discuss their skills and accomplishments and expressing their concerns as to how those skills can help or hinder their job search and their careers. Unfortunately, not enough emphasis is put on soft skills, which are the most important ones. Soft skills are the non-measurable, subjective skills that are not specific to one’s role, industry, or their career. They typically speak to how well one interacts with others. They are essentially personality traits that help define one’s character, however, they do offer less proof of their experience.

Should you ever visit Australia, a trip to Australia’s island state of Tasmania is a must. On the Tasman Peninsula, near the township of Eaglehawk Nest, is a rare geological formation known as the ‘Tessellated Pavement’. This is a compressed rock formation that over millions of years has been eroded into what seems like tiles that have been laid by the sea. You can read more about this at Tasmania National Parks.

Humans are social creatures, we developed communities so we could improve our safety and make our everyday life easier through cooperation with our fellow humans. As the world grew larger, we needed a way to stay in touch without the physical presence of people we want to interact with. The internet made it possible to communicate, cooperate, and share with people from all over the world. As online technology advanced, we acquired new tools, like social media, that made online connectivity even more seamless. Now, there are almost 4 billion active social media accounts and the same research claims that we spend around 116 minutes a day, on average, using different social media platforms.

The federal government is the country’s largest employer, with more than 2.7 million nonmilitary employees and as many as 90,000 new hires each year. On any given day, the government has as many as 10,000 job openings in areas as diverse as health care, law enforcement, engineering, tech support, and landscaping.

“I think the problem is that these millennials just don’t care,” Sara shared with us candidly in a moment of total frustration. We both looked at each other and then at her, “Uh…you do realize YOU are a millennial, right?” “Yeah, yeah,” she acknowledged, “but I’m a DIFFERENT kind of millennial.” Of course she is, and so were the people who were frustrating her. No matter what generation you’re in, we’d bet money you don’t feel like you fit the stereotype.

Have you ever felt a certain “temperature” in a room when you walk into a meeting? I’m not talking about whether the room is too hot or too cold, but the emotional temperature. Discover the emotional temperature by making it easy for participants to state their feelings about the topic, process, or outcome. This knowledge gives you a productivity edge. Check out this example. It was a tiring meeting, but we knew it would be. The strategic planning discussion would set the future direction and tone for the organization.