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Being successful in the workplace can mean many different things, but the purpose of this treatise is to provide the reader with an acute awareness of what it takes to make a successful impact on the workforce; and it has nothing to do with hard skills or education. When a workplace environment has a cross-pollination of cultures and different backgrounds there are a few key components that will help with the transition, not only to help you obtain employment, but more importantly in helping to maintain the employment because being able to sustain employment is extremely important, especially in a cantankerous labour market. The writer has deduced that there are four main components that will help anyone succeed in the workplace and they are as follows:

Attendance

If you cannot commit to an employer by showing up on time, ready to work, then your employer will unfortunately reciprocate because like anything in life, you get out of something what you put in.  With attendance or lack there of becoming more and more problematic for employers, it is of utmost importance that you show your level of commitment through your actions; by your attendance. When attendance is mentioned not only is the writer referring to being on the job physically, but mentally as well. Attendance can also mean: Punctuality, Commitment, Involvement and Passion. Employers want someone who wants to be there, now we have all had jobs of a “survival” nature, but our commitment to the employer will show in our work ethic. When an employee is not in attendance, there is not much an employer can do; you cannot be coached, trained, nurtured or revered if you do not show up. Not showing up for work or on time is a barrier to building trust and like in any relationship; personal or professional, trust is a foundation. Not having the trust of your employer or fellow colleagues will make life for you at any job, very difficult.

Attitude

Attitude is Everything! People that succeed in life generally do so by having a great attitude. Having a good, positive and upbeat attitude can and will permeate the workplace environment and will empower others to do the same.  It is very difficult to be around a person that never displays anything but indifference, intolerance and impatience. Depending on the sector of employment that you work in, your attitude can be the sole reason for your success. Question: do you think that servers in restaurants that are aloof get good tips? No, of course they do not. Case and point, when you are working with people especially people that are struggling with life, making that person laugh and feel better about themselves can be the determining factor in their success.  The best and most appropriate time to display your attitude is when you first start your new job; there is no better way to endear yourself to your colleagues then being energetic and happy. Yes, even for those of you that are introverted, you can display a positive attitude if not through your words, definitely through your actions. Dress up for Halloween, participate in the holiday season activities, participate in company events, all of the aforementioned items can be a great way for you introverts to show off your positive attitude.

Accountability

If one is going to lead, they must first do so by example. One of the superlative attributes that a leader can exude is accountability. Human beings are fallible therefore, subject to making mistakes; learning from those mistakes is what will allow for you to become a competent, confident and congruent professional. When someone in the workplace makes a mistake it is vital to report and admit that mistake. There should be no fear of reprimand or reprisal because any proficient manager or employer will understand that people do in fact make mistakes and more often than not, when a mistake is identified and a solution forthcoming, then the team can debrief to prevent it from happening again. Furthermore, if you work for an employer and you fear reprimand by telling them that you made a mistake; why do you want to work for them? In summation, if you make a mistake do not throw a grenade at the rest of your staff, own the mistake and learn from it because I am reminded of a quote by Albert Einstein that reads” the definition of insanity is making the same mistake over and over again, expecting a different result”.

Ability to Learn

One of Canada’s nine essential skills is continuous learning and that concept parallels the ability to learn. The ability to learn is simply; being teachable. Even if you have been entrenched in a sector of employment for a long time and are confident in your ability, you still want to start your new job fresh and willing to learn. One of the things that an employer is looking for when they hire you is how you will fit in with the existing team.  If you can show your new employer that you play for the name on the front of the jersey and not for the name on the back, then you will be successful. Being teachable shows humility and being humble will allow for you to become teachable in the workplace because learning is a life long endeavor, we learn until the day that we die.  The writer believes that you gather intelligence by learning from your mistakes, but that you gather wisdom by learning from others mistakes, so try and practice then apply the aforementioned ideals and they will become part of your tool kit.

Over the past couple of months, the word social media has consistently been mentioned and talked about in the news, especially its benefits in helping people find employment and connecting with people online.  We suggest to clients to setup a LinkedIn account and suggest using Twitter to build their professional network. These concepts can be a little tricky for someone just getting involved with social media and you cannot expect to grasp them over night, but hopefully the following information will help you start using Twitter for your job search.

Below is the definition of a traditional informational interview as per Webster’s Dictionary via Wikepedia.

An Informational Interview is a meeting in which a job seeker asks for career and industry advice rather than employment. The job seeker uses the interview to gather information on the field, and to find employment leads and expand

So if we were to break it down and think of the informational interview in terms of social media and specifically in terms of Twitter it would go something like this:

The idea behind twitter is to have followers, which would be people following what you said in your 140 character updates and you personally follow people and receive other people’s 140 character updates.  You search for people to follow using key word searches such as #Jobs or #Social #Media.  These searches would show you the latest people updating on these topics.  You could then click on their profile and search through to see if they have some interesting information to share.

Step 1:  Finding someone to follow = finding someone to have an informational interview with

In terms of the traditional informational interview, finding a follower is like finding people that are interested or involved in the same industry as you’re looking to do an informational interview about. The information you’re interested in could be labour market info, advice or upcoming events in your area.

Step 2:  Ask to follow = Hello my name is Matt, I’m a Career Counsellor…  (the informational interview introduction)

Just like an introduction used during an informational interview, you would ask to follow this person and he or she is then notified that you’re following their tweets; the more followers you have the better since the more people following you potentially means what you’re sharing will be read by more people.

Once you start following these people, you normally wait and watch for what information they might be sharing in regards to your shared interest. This concept is really exciting for your job search as you can learn more about your industry inCanadaas you may not be aware of the resources available to you.  The concept is that information will come to you more easily as opposed to you having to physically buy a paper, spend time reading it or hearing about a job fair through a flyer or some other traditional method of advertising.

Step 3: Instead of asking questions as you do during a traditional informational interview, when you use Twitter the interviewee provides information to you about their interests through there 140 character updates that come directly to you

If a person that you are following is offering a lot of information and tweeting regularly, then you can assume one important thing that the traditional informational interview doesn’t offer, which is that this person actually wants to connect and share information and almost 99% of the time will connect with you.

Step 4:  Ask your questions and get your answers = Ask your questions and get your answers

Let’s go to the most valuable part of the twitter informational interview, which is asking a question directly to get the information you need.  Depending on the individual, it’s nice to build a bit of a connection before directly connecting.  A key concept of twitter called re-tweeting is an important way to start building a connection with someone that you don’t know.  Re-tweeting in simple terms is taking information shared by someone you follow and then re-sharing it with people that are following you.  It’s like saying to someone you follow, “I really like what you’re sharing, so I thought I would share it with my network of followers.” It’s a form of praise or flattery.  Who doesn’t like to hear that their doing something good!

At this point, your potential target of information knows that you’re actively engaged in social networking and have similar interest and therefore now would be a great time to send them a direct message introducing yourself quickly and asking them any questions that you’re interested in gaining more information about.

Summary:

An informational interview using Twitter might look a bit different than what a traditional informational interview would look like, but it actually covers all the key points, which are:

Step 1:  Finding someone to have an informational interview with

Step 2:  The informational interview introduction

Step 3: Getting to know your target Interviewee

Step 4: Ask your questions and get your answers

It is possible to meet someone through Twitter, connect with them online, and then turn this on-line connection into an in person informational interview.

Using Twitter might have different outcomes, but by trying something different and looking at a traditional method of gathering information in a different way, you may be able to get the same results without having to physically meet someone at an event or through another contact, but still build a connection.

Our recommendation is to explore and have fun with it! For more information, please refer to the website www.hirecan.com

There are not enough words to describe the struggle and the confusion of a newcomer; the impact of the experience one has during their first few days creates the image of a glooming and depressing reality. And, when this cruel reality kicks in, it knocks down the wonderful expectations carried from the home country, expectations that represent the motivator of the major decision of immigrating.

Elements from all aspects of life seem to suffer a nasty transformation; the mere interaction with other people, the weather, the finances, the housing, the food, the language, the community, the spirituality, the transportation, the health matters, the children’s needs, the basic needs, which all generate a continuous frustration. There doesn’t seem to exist a way of gaining that longed-for, desired feeling of comfort and stability.

All these are signs that a change is needed. And the change is a transformation that hurts because it requires and forces us to step out of our comfort zone and to grow. And, knowing what Cardinal Newman said, “To grow is to change, and to have changed often is to have grown enough” - we have to ask ourselves if we are open and ready for this transformation.

Ask yourself: coming to this realization, what is it that one needs to do? How can one get out from the state of confusion and uncertainty so that the path towards light can be found?

Before the arrival, you anticipated that there is it a light at the end of the tunnel and this represents a major advantage. Then, it was the moment of stumbling. This is the very time to ask and search for information, to listen to others’ suggestions but practice your own judgment, and to ask for specialized advice. Also, it is the time to be observant, involved and creative. Clearly, this is the time to Reinvent Yourself. That is, to reshape your mentality while belonging to a new culture, to notice that you have grown a bit, and to embrace the sprouts of the dream that brought you here to the land of opportunities.

So, roll up your sleeves and create a list of places where pertinent information is available; search for libraries, employment agencies, professional associations, educational institutions, or community centres, and be thorough in your research. Then, analyze all the information and process the most important parts so that clear progress towards achievement can be made. Remember that support is available in various forms, so always ask for it because you won’t be turned away. And also remember that “Success is a journey and not a destination”.

“The number one skill for success in the twenty first century is the ability to talk to other people. If we don’t connect with others, there is really no next step: no referrals, no job offers, no promotions, no alliances. … The only goal of your initial interaction is to have the next interaction. Period.”
Joanne Black, No More Cold Calling

Networking is about building and maintaining relationships. To be successful in your job search it is about getting noticed and being remembered. This can be achieved by taking a more aggressive approach to networking and meeting lots of people or by a more subtle and planned out approach, which is the one favored by people who tend to be more introverted by nature. The approach you take is best determined by your natural personality. The terms introvert and extrovert refer to the social preference and not social capability. Our personality tends to be either introverted or extroverted. Both have strengths and weaknesses. There are advantages to both and one is not better than the other, just different.

Introverts vs. Extroverts

Introverts tend to be quite sensitive to their environment and to people around them. Until they feel comfortable, they are inclined to listen before they talk too much.

Extroverts, on the other hand, are at ease with small talk and have little trouble in making conversation with people they have only just met.

While introverts prefer to think things through before saying anything, extroverts think things through by talking. Although extroverts may have an advantage in that they are at ease in making conversation even with people they have only just met, introverts have an advantage when it comes to being able to listen especially well. This allows them to become very interested in one on one conversation with others and asking questions.

Just because people are introverted, does not mean they are anti social. It just means that they are more comfortable once they are familiar with the people they meet. They prefer to have conversations that have a purpose and that tend to go deep rather than wide. They would rather have meaningful conversations with a few people than meet as many people as possible so as to have brief and superficial conversations with them, As an introvert, this would just drain their energy. Instead, introverts would rather have a plan before going out to network and to be selective in who and where they network.

Where an extroverted person might want to collect the business card of everyone they meet, an introvert is further ahead by being selective in which people it is worth following up with.

Networking vs. Cold Calling

Networking is very much about finding out how to help others as well as how others can help you. For the introvert, asking and not telling is the way to begin a conversation. Questions that can be asked when first meeting someone at a networking event could include: what brings you to this event today, what did you find interesting in listening to the Presenter today and what are you finding particularly challenging in the world of finding work these days? Beginning your questions with the words what, where, and why encourages the other person to give longer and more detailed answers.

Because introverts are more inclined to talk once they feel comfortable and are familiar with the people they are with, networking is probably the best approach rather than cold calling. This means planning where you intend to network such as organizations with similar interests to yourself such as you professional association.

As an introvert, instead of cold calling, it is suggested that you introduce yourself with a letter first mentioning the person who referred you. This way the ice has been broken when you call because you can then say you are following up to the letter you sent previously.

Job Search Tips for Introverts

As an introvert, you will also favor people approaching you first instead of you making the first move. This can be achieved by building your profile such as using LinkedIn, which is a social media site used by professionals. Joining an online discussion group can also be a great way to meet people.

Essentially introverts are much more comfortable interacting with others when they have prepared sufficiently in advance. Unlike extroverts, they are not very comfortable with just “making it up as they go along.” For that reason, it is useful to plan exactly what you want to say when you introduce yourself.

For introverts,  it is important to pace yourself and balance preparing to network with following through with action. By keeping this in mind, you won’t feel so overwhelmed and drained of energy by trying to meet too many people at once. It is also important to focus your energy by being selective in what and who you follow up with. Concentrate on what has meaning to you.

Because we enjoy research, use this to advantage by researching your job search sectors carefully including key people to contact and articles that might have been written about certain companies etc. Although introverts tend to want to collect as much information as possible before taking action so that they feel confident that they will know what to do and what to say, at some point action in meeting others needs to be taken. It is important to know when one has enough information to take such action. For both introverts and extraverts it is keeping a balance between reflecting on what needs to be done to get ready for job search and the actual job search itself.

Most jobs are found through networking. It is important to focus on one’s search. This will not only help you in your job development, but it will also help others you approach for help; once they know more of what it is you are looking for, the easier it will be for them to help you find it.

Sometimes for the introverted type, it is a matter of re-framing job development in one’s mind by looking at it differently.

“[Job search] has always been a not-fun process, but when I changed it into a research project, I was able to turn it into something I could handle. A research project is the kind of intellectual area that I’m comfortablewith.”

Patty Lebau (teacher), The Successful Introvert

The purpose of a behavioural interview question is for the interviewer/employer to predict your future behavioural pattern for the position you are interviewing for. Always pull from you past experiences when answering behavioural questions and remain positive throughout your response. Remember that the more you practice, the more comfortable you become answering such questions. Below are some tips and guidelines you should follow:

Preparation

• Read the job description and identify any special job requirements being sought, such as bilingual skills, licensure requirements etc.
• Identify the key competencies that the company is seeking, this may be particular skills or personal characteristics
• Draw on all the accomplishments that you have amassed, summarize those previous experiences that demonstrate your competencies
• Determine 3- 5 required competencies, always link the competency to the organization’s needs
• Once you have identified the key competencies required for the targeted position, identify a minimum of 2 achievement stories that relate to the competencies required (see SARS technique below)
• Prepare at least 10 accomplishment stories, ensure adequate material for the interview (the more stories the better, this way you will not repeat your stories during the interviewing process)

When answering use the S.A.R technique

S = Situation

• Describe to the interviewer exactly what happened in the situation
• Be very descriptive, paint a picture of the environment/situation you were in
• There should be no room for the interviewer to make assumptions or guess what you mean
• This should be in a story format

A = Action

• List for the interviewer all steps you took to complete and/or resolve the above mentioned situation
• Be clear and concise

R = Results

• Tell the interviewer what was the outcome of the situation or feedback you received (this is the most important piece and the piece that is most often forgotten)

Sample Questions

• Give me a specific example of a time when you used logic in solving a problem.
• Tell me about a time when you chose a highly creative approach.
• Give me an example of a time when you showed initiative and took the lead.
• Give me an example of when you initiated a change in response to customer feedback.
• Tell me about a time when you dealt with an anger customer, how did you handle this situation

For further information, please speak to your Employment Counsellor to book a mock interview practice or to attend the next Interview Preparation workshop. You can also find more information under http://www.best-job-interview.com/behavioral-interview.html