I was thinking about the irony of job-seeking versus being a great employee. The very traits that make someone an exceptional employee are not necessarily the ones that convince an organization to hire them in the first place.
What do I mean? Simply stated, most companies seek out employees that will always put the company’s needs first. They look for humility and modesty. They look for quality individuals.
And, I like to think I fit into that category. I’ve been fortunate to have the ear of several executives during my professional life, and none of them would ever say I ever recommended anything that didn’t benefit the company, as a first concern.
Yet, when it comes to interviewing and job-seeking, humility and modesty is not a welcomed trait. If you cannot speak effusively about yourself, your skills and your accomplishments – almost bragging – you’re perceived as not being a strong candidate.
And, for someone like me, that can be a challenge.
Part of the difficulty stems from the fact that most of my “accomplishments,” I simply considered to be “my job.” To me, even if I do my job exceptionally well, it’s still my job (and, obviously, should be done to the best of my capabilities). So, to go into an interview and spew out all these great things I did, just feels foreign to me.
I don’t lack confidence … but, to me, I exhibit confidence by doing an outstanding job. I don’t need to talk myself up. I leave most interviews convinced I can help the company achieve its goals and that I can handle the responsibilities of the position (and deliver exceptional results). Anecdotally, I can point to my previous positions: “Look at where the company was before I got there; look where it got while I was there; and look at where it is now that I’m no longer there. I can assure you, the differences are stark.”
The other difficulty comes from the fact that — rightfully so – today, interviewers want to learn what specifically led to your accomplishments. To me, there’s no secret sauce. I go into a company; learn the product/service or the culture (depending on my role and focus); and then I ensure messages reach the target audience in the way intended. I’ve been successful in my career – I’ve won awards for internal communications and employee engagement strategy plans that use social media – all of which are on many company’s minds these days.
But, ask me to describe the specifics of how I do that, and my answer may not be as comprehensive as you’d like. Again, it’s just my work ethic, ensuring the task at hand is completed successfully. In some ways (and I’m not comparing myself to him, necessarily), it’s similar to the plight of Ted Williams.
Ted Williams is arguably the greatest baseball hitter of all time. After his playing career, teams wanted to hire Williams to teach their players how to hit; which was a great idea on paper. Problem is — Ted couldn’t explain how he hit, and he certainly couldn’t teach anyone. To him, it was as simple as: “see the ball; hit the ball.” Ask for more details, and you’d be disappointed.
Last year, I began building up my network (and actually getting out to meet people I didn’t know well) because there are few things in the job search as powerful as having an advocate on your side. Yes, I can apply to a job; but if I know someone connected to that company, and they’re able and willing to tout my abilities to that company, that’s a far more effective approach. Everyone wins. The company gets someone who will help transform their company; my connection looks like a hero.
And I can focus on simply being a modest, yet exceptional, employee.
Chris Palermo is an accomplished communications executive with significant experience in social media and internal and employee communications. He blogs on an assortment of eclectic subjects, including customer service and internet culture at cpalermo21.blogspot.com. You can also reach out to him on Linkedin.
