Six Things You Should Know About Pre-Employment Tests By S arah E .
Executive candidates often are surprised when asked to take a test or other assessment for a job. They shouldn't be.
Pre-employment testing is on the rise. In the past five years, 60% of companies have increased their use of workplace-behavior assessments, according to a survey of more than 500 human-resources professionals at U.S. companies from Spherion Corp., a staffing firm based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Employers typically use assessments to confirm a candidate's cultural fit or skill competency, according to Doug Wolf, vice president of consulting services at Select International Inc., a Pittsburgh-based provider of career-assessment tools. Bear in mind that for questions about your work style or personality, he says, there are no right or wrong responses. "If you answer honestly and don't get the job, it means the position wasn't a good match for you in the first place," he says.
Candidates should take the assessments seriously, even if they feel they aren't necessary. A shoo-in for an executive job at Mindbridge Software Inc. torpedoed his candidacy when completing a personality assessment in 2004, even though the results met the employer's expectations, says Scott Testa, chief operating officer of the intranet-software company in Norristown, Pa. The proctor told him the candidate arrived late, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, which, he says, was disrespectful and showed a lack of seriousness. "The guy thought he had the position, and he did, but then he blew it," he says.
Here's what job candidates should know about pre-employment testing:
- Senior executives are not exempt. In fact, the higher you aspire to climb the corporate ladder, the more likely you are to be evaluated on how well you might fit in personality-wise, says Joel H. Wilensky, an executive recruiter in Sudbury, Mass. His clients require most candidates to undergo assessments, he says. "It's almost an absolute for jobs that pay salaries of $300,000 and up," he adds. According to Mr. Testa, Mindbridge administers personality assessments to all prospective hires to see if they'll fit into the company's culture. But he says the company most closely scrutinizes the results of assessments from senior-level candidates. "We have the most to lose if they are a bad hire," he says.
- Curb your antagonism. Many senior candidates scoff at having to take a test, says Deborah Sawyer, a partner in Atlanta at executive-search firm Morgan Howard Worldwide, whose clients require assessments for most candidates. "They see it as being unnecessary and don't put enough energy into it," she says. "Then they can't make it to the next round." You can derail your candidacy if you show your displeasure, says Mr. Wolf. "Complaining says a lot to an employer about your overall attitude, tolerance for stress and how open you will be to future opportunities," he says.
- Your candidacy can benefit. Erin Vadala, 40, took a personality assessment two years ago for her public-relations-manager job at Warner Communications in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass. "I was surprised at how accurate it was," she says, noting that the results indicated she's outgoing. "I'm constantly talking to people and telling stories," she says. "When you are a public-relations professional, you can't be a wallflower."
- Clear your schedule. Ask recruiters about how long a pre-employment assessment might take. You may need to devote anywhere from a few minutes to several hours of your time, says Bill Erickson, executive vice president of human-capital management at Kenexa Corp., a provider of pre-employment-testing technology in Wayne, Pa. Some assessments are oral and administered on site by an industrial psychologist, while others may be completed online from any location, he adds.
- If taking a test by phone, ensure there will be no interruptions or distractions, says Ernest Feiteira, regional manager at NAS Recruitment Communications LLC, a human-resources-communications provider in Woodbridge, N.J. Candidates for jobs at the firm who successfully complete first-round interviews are administered a brief personality assessment by phone, he says. Those who perform well must then complete an online assessment, which takes about an hour and must be done within 48 hours, he says.
- Exercise your brain. Familiarize yourself with pre-employment assessments by taking free ones on the Web, such as this personality quiz from eTest Inc., a pre-employment testing and assessment company in Atlanta. Practice tests can help you feel more comfortable for when it's your turn in the hot seat, says J. Larry Tyler, founder of Tyler & Co., a retained search firm headquartered in Atlanta. "You'll remove the fear out of taking a test," he says. Playing problem-solving games such as Suduko also can help sharpen your mind for test-taking, says Mr. Wolf.
- Weak results may not matter. Ms. Sawyer says in 2002, a candidate for an executive position at a client of hers was hired even though results from a behavioral assessment suggested he was a poor fit. "He did well in the interviews and they thought he had the innate competencies to do the job," she says. "They said, 'We're going to dismiss it and go on our gut.'"
Thursday, 12 July 2007
What To Do (And Not Do) When Emailing Recruiters
What To Do (And Not Do) When Emailing Recruiters
With many job postings now requiring candidates to apply via email, first impressions are made not with a handshake but with words on a computer screen. How formal should your first email to a recruiter be?
Just as it's usually a good idea to dress your best for an interview, emails also should be professional and polished, say hiring managers. If you decide capital letters aren't worth your time, you might be in for a long job search.
Kristen O'Hara, a senior recruiter for Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services Inc., an information-technology outsourcing company, says she has seen it all, including emails with funky fonts and distracting backgrounds.
"Honestly, there are some emails that have completely ruined a candidate's chances for me," she says.
To avoid sabotaging your job search, here are some tips to follow when sending cover letters by email:
1. Forget what Instant Messenger has taught you.
Job recruiters report that young professionals are the applicants most likely to send too-casual emails.
Liz Shupe, interim director of the career-development center at the University of Richmond, offers one explanation: "They're treating it like an IM."
When using Instant Messenger with friends and acquaintances, it's acceptable to use abbreviations and incomplete sentences and to forgo capital letters and punctuation. In business correspondence, however, stick to the rules your English teacher taught you.
"We tell our students that an email is the same exact thing as a cover letter, without the addresses on top," says Ms. Shupe.
2. Don't be cute.
Your adorable email background of puppies snuggling with kittens has got to go.
"I remember a particular email written in that 'comic' font," says Ms. O'Hara. "That's just not professional to be sending to a work contact." She recommends plain-vanilla fonts, such as Times New Roman and Arial, and black text on a white background.
Ms. O'Hara also warns against sending emails from quirky email addresses. Slackerboy@ or Sexgoddess@ might not get the chuckle you hope for. If you leave your cellphone number as a contact number, make sure your voicemail message is appropriate, and that means it shouldn't include music, she says.
3. Customize your cover letter to the job.
Wynne Billings, a corporate recruiter, says many of the emails she reads show a lack of effort on the part of the applicant.
"It's like they just cut and paste the same cover letter to everything they're doing," says Ms. Billings, who works for Apex Systems Inc., a technology-staffing firm based in Glen Allen, Va. "It's so not catered toward our job."
It's a big plus if applicants can show they know a lot about the position they're applying for, Ms. Billings says. She recommends job hunters use part of the job description they feel matches their skills or experience to explain why they'd be good for the position. "Nine out of 10 people don't do that," she says.
4. Don't ramble.
"Get to the point," says Hank Stringer, a former high-tech company recruiter in Austin, Texas. He doesn't like it when candidates use gimmicks to try to attract attention, citing as an example a missive from one applicant that blathered on about high gas prices. Messages should be straightforward and concise, he says.
Mr. Stringer, who founded Hire.com, a recruitment-management software and services firm, says recruiters often have only seconds to devote to each cover letter they receive, and many are looking for just three things: the titles of the positions you've held, the companies you've worked for and your educational background. Anything else, such as a long story about yourself, can get in the way, he says.
5. If attaching a cover letter, write a brief note in your email.
There's no rule about whether a formal cover letter should be attached to an email or whether the email itself can serve as a cover letter.
If you attach your cover letter, the text of your email can say: "I really want to work for your company, please see attached resume and cover letter," says Ms. Billings. "Even maybe just tell me briefly why you want to work for my company, just give me a sentence, then I'm going to open that cover letter and resume."
Mr. Stringer also warns against being too creative in the subject line of an email. He recommends: "Experienced candidate seeking position as [name of position]" or "Experienced candidate seeking position with [name of company]."
"Use one word to describe yourself, but do not go overboard," he says.
With many job postings now requiring candidates to apply via email, first impressions are made not with a handshake but with words on a computer screen. How formal should your first email to a recruiter be?
Just as it's usually a good idea to dress your best for an interview, emails also should be professional and polished, say hiring managers. If you decide capital letters aren't worth your time, you might be in for a long job search.
Kristen O'Hara, a senior recruiter for Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services Inc., an information-technology outsourcing company, says she has seen it all, including emails with funky fonts and distracting backgrounds.
"Honestly, there are some emails that have completely ruined a candidate's chances for me," she says.
To avoid sabotaging your job search, here are some tips to follow when sending cover letters by email:
1. Forget what Instant Messenger has taught you.
Job recruiters report that young professionals are the applicants most likely to send too-casual emails.
Liz Shupe, interim director of the career-development center at the University of Richmond, offers one explanation: "They're treating it like an IM."
When using Instant Messenger with friends and acquaintances, it's acceptable to use abbreviations and incomplete sentences and to forgo capital letters and punctuation. In business correspondence, however, stick to the rules your English teacher taught you.
"We tell our students that an email is the same exact thing as a cover letter, without the addresses on top," says Ms. Shupe.
2. Don't be cute.
Your adorable email background of puppies snuggling with kittens has got to go.
"I remember a particular email written in that 'comic' font," says Ms. O'Hara. "That's just not professional to be sending to a work contact." She recommends plain-vanilla fonts, such as Times New Roman and Arial, and black text on a white background.
Ms. O'Hara also warns against sending emails from quirky email addresses. Slackerboy@ or Sexgoddess@ might not get the chuckle you hope for. If you leave your cellphone number as a contact number, make sure your voicemail message is appropriate, and that means it shouldn't include music, she says.
3. Customize your cover letter to the job.
Wynne Billings, a corporate recruiter, says many of the emails she reads show a lack of effort on the part of the applicant.
"It's like they just cut and paste the same cover letter to everything they're doing," says Ms. Billings, who works for Apex Systems Inc., a technology-staffing firm based in Glen Allen, Va. "It's so not catered toward our job."
It's a big plus if applicants can show they know a lot about the position they're applying for, Ms. Billings says. She recommends job hunters use part of the job description they feel matches their skills or experience to explain why they'd be good for the position. "Nine out of 10 people don't do that," she says.
4. Don't ramble.
"Get to the point," says Hank Stringer, a former high-tech company recruiter in Austin, Texas. He doesn't like it when candidates use gimmicks to try to attract attention, citing as an example a missive from one applicant that blathered on about high gas prices. Messages should be straightforward and concise, he says.
Mr. Stringer, who founded Hire.com, a recruitment-management software and services firm, says recruiters often have only seconds to devote to each cover letter they receive, and many are looking for just three things: the titles of the positions you've held, the companies you've worked for and your educational background. Anything else, such as a long story about yourself, can get in the way, he says.
5. If attaching a cover letter, write a brief note in your email.
There's no rule about whether a formal cover letter should be attached to an email or whether the email itself can serve as a cover letter.
If you attach your cover letter, the text of your email can say: "I really want to work for your company, please see attached resume and cover letter," says Ms. Billings. "Even maybe just tell me briefly why you want to work for my company, just give me a sentence, then I'm going to open that cover letter and resume."
Mr. Stringer also warns against being too creative in the subject line of an email. He recommends: "Experienced candidate seeking position as [name of position]" or "Experienced candidate seeking position with [name of company]."
"Use one word to describe yourself, but do not go overboard," he says.
Sunday, 3 June 2007
You Can Say Too Much Without Even Speaking
You Can Say Too Much Without Even Speaking
Can a shrug mean too much?
No matter what a job candidate might say, using the wrong body language can make them appear disinterested or even deceitful to recruiters.
"It's so important for people to be cognizant of their body language because while their words may be saying one thing, their body language may be saying something else," says Kimberly Bishop, senior partner of Korn Ferry International, a Los Angeles-based retained executive search firm.
Learning how your body language may be perceived can prevent you from committing body language blunders that can sabotage interviews. Carole Martin, president of InterviewCoach.com in San Francisco says her clients are stunned by their body language when they watch their recorded mock interviews. After she points out their mistakes, some say "I wouldn't hire me," says Ms. Martin. However, once aware of their body language, she says about 80% correct it on their second taping.
Here are some tips on getting your body language right in an interview.
1. Maintain the right amount of eye contact.
Using too little or too much eye contact can impact a recruiter's perception of you. If you avoid eye contact after being asked a question, or you look down, it can suggest dishonesty, says David Moyer, president of Moyer, Sherwood Associates, a retained executive search firm in New York.
Ms. Bishop says many candidates look to the right or left of the interviewer or out the windows instead of making eye contact which can indicate disinterest or lack of confidence. To show a recruiter you are interested, alternate looking at their eyes mouth and shoulders, says Martin Yate, author of "Knock 'Em Dead The Ultimate Job Search Guide 2007" and a former headhunter in Savannah, Ga.
However, be careful not to overdo the eye contact. Some job hunters concentrate on maintaining eye contact too much that they develop a "stalker stare," says Tonya Reiman, a body language expert in Smithtown, N.Y. who works with recruiters and job hunters.
"People who don't break from eye contact enough give me the willies," says Mr. Moyer.
2. Don't fidget.
Fidgeting is a telltale sign of nerves, and although many recruiters make allowances for nervousness, they will also expect you to handle pressure with ease if you're seeking a high-level job. If you display your nerves too much during an interview, you may be at a disadvantage. "If you can't handle stress in a job interview, how can you handle it in the job?" asks Mr. Yate.
Aside from displaying your nervousness, fidgeting is annoying and distracting to recruiters.
Ms. Martin, who conducts interviews for client companies, remembers a candidate who played with her hair throughout the entire interview. "I wanted to grab her arm and tell her to stop," say Ms. Martin. "I probably didn't hear half of what she was saying because she was annoying me so much."
Although everyone has their own personal fidgets, the key is to control them during interviews so they don't distract your interviewer. To keep yourself from fidgeting, Mr. Yate recommends bringing a prop, such as a pen and pad, to keep your hands occupied.
Curtis Muldrew, 41, says he learned how to stop twisting and untwisting his pen during interviews by only touching his pen when taking notes. "Interviews are events where I really have to practice because my movements can be distracting to the interviewer," says Mr. Muldrew, chief information officer of HeartScreen America, a large population and direct-to-consumer heart screening services company in Andover, Mass.
3. Be conscious of posture while standing and sitting.
Slouching, whether you are standing to greet the interviewer or sitting down, suggests a lack of self esteem, says Mr. Yate. During an interview you should appear confident and engaged in the conversation and poor posture can send a message that you are indifferent or too casual message, says Ms. Bishop.
When Jim Ettwein, 59, began interviewing with companies after being a self-employed consultant, he reminded himself during interviews to sit up straight and lean slightly forward to show interest. "I have a tendency to sit sideways in a chair by using the back of the chair as a prop," says Mr. Ettwein, who began working as a partner at a large consulting firm in West Orange, N.J. in the beginning of January.
To appear interested in the position, Mr. Yate suggests sitting with your backside at the very back of the chair which will create a slight lean forward, showing that you are engaged in the conversation. Remember to keep your shoulders back.
4. Avoid "closed" body language.
Body language such as crossed arms and clenched fists show defensiveness and tension, says Mr. Yate, who adds that they are physically closed positions.
Mr. Moyer refers to crossed arms as "the universal sign of unfriendliness," because it suggests that the candidate doesn't want to open up. Women tend to cross their arms when they are cold, says Ms. Martin, who suggests bringing a cardigan or dressing warmly if you tend to get cold so you don't inadvertently send the wrong message.
Crossing your ankle over your knee with hands locked behind your head in what Mr. Yate calls the "rebel without a cause" look can make you look like unruly or difficult to work with, he says. "It's the way an angry 17-year-old sits," says Mr. Yate.
Instead, sit with your ankles crossed or feet flat on the floor and use open hand gestures which suggest friendliness, he says.
Can a shrug mean too much?
No matter what a job candidate might say, using the wrong body language can make them appear disinterested or even deceitful to recruiters.
"It's so important for people to be cognizant of their body language because while their words may be saying one thing, their body language may be saying something else," says Kimberly Bishop, senior partner of Korn Ferry International, a Los Angeles-based retained executive search firm.
Learning how your body language may be perceived can prevent you from committing body language blunders that can sabotage interviews. Carole Martin, president of InterviewCoach.com in San Francisco says her clients are stunned by their body language when they watch their recorded mock interviews. After she points out their mistakes, some say "I wouldn't hire me," says Ms. Martin. However, once aware of their body language, she says about 80% correct it on their second taping.
Here are some tips on getting your body language right in an interview.
1. Maintain the right amount of eye contact.
Using too little or too much eye contact can impact a recruiter's perception of you. If you avoid eye contact after being asked a question, or you look down, it can suggest dishonesty, says David Moyer, president of Moyer, Sherwood Associates, a retained executive search firm in New York.
Ms. Bishop says many candidates look to the right or left of the interviewer or out the windows instead of making eye contact which can indicate disinterest or lack of confidence. To show a recruiter you are interested, alternate looking at their eyes mouth and shoulders, says Martin Yate, author of "Knock 'Em Dead The Ultimate Job Search Guide 2007" and a former headhunter in Savannah, Ga.
However, be careful not to overdo the eye contact. Some job hunters concentrate on maintaining eye contact too much that they develop a "stalker stare," says Tonya Reiman, a body language expert in Smithtown, N.Y. who works with recruiters and job hunters.
"People who don't break from eye contact enough give me the willies," says Mr. Moyer.
2. Don't fidget.
Fidgeting is a telltale sign of nerves, and although many recruiters make allowances for nervousness, they will also expect you to handle pressure with ease if you're seeking a high-level job. If you display your nerves too much during an interview, you may be at a disadvantage. "If you can't handle stress in a job interview, how can you handle it in the job?" asks Mr. Yate.
Aside from displaying your nervousness, fidgeting is annoying and distracting to recruiters.
Ms. Martin, who conducts interviews for client companies, remembers a candidate who played with her hair throughout the entire interview. "I wanted to grab her arm and tell her to stop," say Ms. Martin. "I probably didn't hear half of what she was saying because she was annoying me so much."
Although everyone has their own personal fidgets, the key is to control them during interviews so they don't distract your interviewer. To keep yourself from fidgeting, Mr. Yate recommends bringing a prop, such as a pen and pad, to keep your hands occupied.
Curtis Muldrew, 41, says he learned how to stop twisting and untwisting his pen during interviews by only touching his pen when taking notes. "Interviews are events where I really have to practice because my movements can be distracting to the interviewer," says Mr. Muldrew, chief information officer of HeartScreen America, a large population and direct-to-consumer heart screening services company in Andover, Mass.
3. Be conscious of posture while standing and sitting.
Slouching, whether you are standing to greet the interviewer or sitting down, suggests a lack of self esteem, says Mr. Yate. During an interview you should appear confident and engaged in the conversation and poor posture can send a message that you are indifferent or too casual message, says Ms. Bishop.
When Jim Ettwein, 59, began interviewing with companies after being a self-employed consultant, he reminded himself during interviews to sit up straight and lean slightly forward to show interest. "I have a tendency to sit sideways in a chair by using the back of the chair as a prop," says Mr. Ettwein, who began working as a partner at a large consulting firm in West Orange, N.J. in the beginning of January.
To appear interested in the position, Mr. Yate suggests sitting with your backside at the very back of the chair which will create a slight lean forward, showing that you are engaged in the conversation. Remember to keep your shoulders back.
4. Avoid "closed" body language.
Body language such as crossed arms and clenched fists show defensiveness and tension, says Mr. Yate, who adds that they are physically closed positions.
Mr. Moyer refers to crossed arms as "the universal sign of unfriendliness," because it suggests that the candidate doesn't want to open up. Women tend to cross their arms when they are cold, says Ms. Martin, who suggests bringing a cardigan or dressing warmly if you tend to get cold so you don't inadvertently send the wrong message.
Crossing your ankle over your knee with hands locked behind your head in what Mr. Yate calls the "rebel without a cause" look can make you look like unruly or difficult to work with, he says. "It's the way an angry 17-year-old sits," says Mr. Yate.
Instead, sit with your ankles crossed or feet flat on the floor and use open hand gestures which suggest friendliness, he says.
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
15 Questions For Setting A Career Change in Motion
15 Questions For Setting A Career Change in Motion
It's difficult to excel in a job or career where you're unhappy, but even when people know a job isn't working for them, they can be slow to make a change. One reason: They aren't sure what they want to move on to.
Sometimes a minor change -- such as a flex schedule, working at home more, or a new boss -- can make a world of difference and renew your commitment to a position. At other times, a more radical shift, say, to an entirely new job or career, is in order. Either way, confidence in your direction is often the best motivator when it comes to making a change.
How can you get a crystal-clear sense where you want to go? Understanding what has and hasn't worked for you in past jobs is the best place to start. It can clarify the tweaks you may need to make for your current position to work for you. If you know you're ready for something entirely new, it can help you direct your job search or career exploration.
Below are questions that may help you think about where you've gone and where you may want to go. Answer them honestly. After all, if you can't own up what you want, you can't make it happen.
There are no right answers. What's important is that you have answers. Coming up with them will help you draw conclusions about what you want from your career and a job.
1. What attracted you to your current job? Compare this to what you like and dislike about it now. Repeat this exercise with previous positions.
2. When you first entered the work force, where did you want to be in 10 years? Is that still what you want? If not, what's changed and why?
3. Name one thing you expected to like or to excel in but didn't.
4. Name one thing that you dreaded or thought you wouldn't be good at, but you enjoyed and succeeded at, impressing yourself and others.
5. Do you associate big companies with prestige, resources and opportunities, or bureaucracy, politics and layoffs?
6. Do you associate start-ups with innovation, highly-motivated people and the chance to be part of the next big thing, or with chaos, no resources, no paycheck and people who can't deal with having a boss?
7. Think of the best boss you ever had. What did you like about his or her work style? What would you copy if you were in his or her job?
8. Think of the worst boss you ever had. What made him or her bad to work for? What did you learn to not do from him or her?
9. You're at a party and someone asks what you do. Is it important that your employer is recognized and admired? Or would it more important to be working on something so ahead of the curve or obscure that you're sure to get a blank look and have to explain?
10. What was the coolest project you ever worked on? The one that left you exhausted, but inspired and even reluctant to go home at the end of the day. What was so cool about it?
11. What project made you lie in bed in the morning, think of day ahead, and moan, "When will this be over?" What made it so dismal?
12. When you work from home, do you feel productive and happy to be in charge of your day and your distractions? Or do you feel isolated, unmotivated and too drawn to everything -- the kids, the TV, the cookie jar, that picture you've been meaning to hang -- but not to work?
13. Do you feel energized and learn a lot during team meetings or are they a huge time sink? Would you rather be handed your assignment and left alone to get it done?
14. When you dress for work, do you want to wear a suit, haute couture, khakis and a sweater, or your exercise clothes?
15. Do you need to make the absolute most money you can all the time, or is very attractive pay good enough?
The answers to these questions should give some new and valuable information about yourself and your career direction. Think of that information as a tool you can use to carve out a more rewarding work situation. You might make use of it in a conversation with your manager, a hiring manager elsewhere in your company, a head hunter or maybe a career coach, depending on what kind of change you want.
Making change happen is challenging, and it rarely happens as quickly as you would like it to. But with these 15 answers, you have a good start. And you just might find you're looking forward to a change, rather than worrying about it.
It's difficult to excel in a job or career where you're unhappy, but even when people know a job isn't working for them, they can be slow to make a change. One reason: They aren't sure what they want to move on to.
Sometimes a minor change -- such as a flex schedule, working at home more, or a new boss -- can make a world of difference and renew your commitment to a position. At other times, a more radical shift, say, to an entirely new job or career, is in order. Either way, confidence in your direction is often the best motivator when it comes to making a change.
How can you get a crystal-clear sense where you want to go? Understanding what has and hasn't worked for you in past jobs is the best place to start. It can clarify the tweaks you may need to make for your current position to work for you. If you know you're ready for something entirely new, it can help you direct your job search or career exploration.
Below are questions that may help you think about where you've gone and where you may want to go. Answer them honestly. After all, if you can't own up what you want, you can't make it happen.
There are no right answers. What's important is that you have answers. Coming up with them will help you draw conclusions about what you want from your career and a job.
1. What attracted you to your current job? Compare this to what you like and dislike about it now. Repeat this exercise with previous positions.
2. When you first entered the work force, where did you want to be in 10 years? Is that still what you want? If not, what's changed and why?
3. Name one thing you expected to like or to excel in but didn't.
4. Name one thing that you dreaded or thought you wouldn't be good at, but you enjoyed and succeeded at, impressing yourself and others.
5. Do you associate big companies with prestige, resources and opportunities, or bureaucracy, politics and layoffs?
6. Do you associate start-ups with innovation, highly-motivated people and the chance to be part of the next big thing, or with chaos, no resources, no paycheck and people who can't deal with having a boss?
7. Think of the best boss you ever had. What did you like about his or her work style? What would you copy if you were in his or her job?
8. Think of the worst boss you ever had. What made him or her bad to work for? What did you learn to not do from him or her?
9. You're at a party and someone asks what you do. Is it important that your employer is recognized and admired? Or would it more important to be working on something so ahead of the curve or obscure that you're sure to get a blank look and have to explain?
10. What was the coolest project you ever worked on? The one that left you exhausted, but inspired and even reluctant to go home at the end of the day. What was so cool about it?
11. What project made you lie in bed in the morning, think of day ahead, and moan, "When will this be over?" What made it so dismal?
12. When you work from home, do you feel productive and happy to be in charge of your day and your distractions? Or do you feel isolated, unmotivated and too drawn to everything -- the kids, the TV, the cookie jar, that picture you've been meaning to hang -- but not to work?
13. Do you feel energized and learn a lot during team meetings or are they a huge time sink? Would you rather be handed your assignment and left alone to get it done?
14. When you dress for work, do you want to wear a suit, haute couture, khakis and a sweater, or your exercise clothes?
15. Do you need to make the absolute most money you can all the time, or is very attractive pay good enough?
The answers to these questions should give some new and valuable information about yourself and your career direction. Think of that information as a tool you can use to carve out a more rewarding work situation. You might make use of it in a conversation with your manager, a hiring manager elsewhere in your company, a head hunter or maybe a career coach, depending on what kind of change you want.
Making change happen is challenging, and it rarely happens as quickly as you would like it to. But with these 15 answers, you have a good start. And you just might find you're looking forward to a change, rather than worrying about it.
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