Kit Prendergast, PCC
Kit brings you a wealth of expertise and experience as well as a wonderful spirit, energy, and a gift for inspiring you to create the life you truly want for yourself.Kit's Tips & Books
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Author Archives: Kit Prendergast
Take a Walk to Clear Your Mind
One of the advantages to understanding the inner workings of our brains is gaining some tips on how to get unstuck and move past those all too-familiar roadblocks. A good example is “writer’s block”. You have something important to get out but the more you concentrate the more you can’t come up with a creative idea or even an opening sentence. You’re stuck in an impasse and the more frustrated you get with yourself the more your mind locks up. Here’s what works for me . . .
Stop right now. Disengage your thinking brain, the prefrontal cortex, by getting up and moving. Let your brain take a break by moving into another quiet activity – not another thinking task – but rather physically moving by walking, doing a routine household chore or sorting your paper clips. Quiet is the key – reduce as much background noise and distractions as you can. You may also find that you are at your creative best at a certain time of day. Mine is early, early morning after that first cup of coffee. My mind is clear, my energy is high and new ideas are flowing.
Now it’s your turn . . . what works for you? And how can you do more of what works for you this upcoming week? If all else fails, go jump in a nice long hot shower. That always works!
Your Brain At Work
Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long, David Rock, 2009.
So many colleagues recommended this book that I just had to pick it up. And it’s everything as promised. I even got it for my ‘ole IPod to listen while I’m at the gym.
Rock helps us understand the intricacies of brain science by taking us inside the thinking of two young professionals, Emily & Paul. He tells the story of their everyday work lives from the perspective of what’s going on in their brains (scientifically) – what gets in the way of their career success and how to move past those habits and behaviors that don’t work for us anymore. A fascinating read!
Power of Intention in the Job Search!
Over the last couple of weeks I have been writing about my college-age daughter’s summer internship quest through the streets of New York City. Barbara’s journey has given me wonderful material for this blog and allowed me to share with you the multiple complex steps of going through an intense job search. And it’s been at an amazing pace!
What we all can learn from Barbara is the power of intention. Early on, Barbara knew what she wanted . . . and she was determined to make it happen. Being a strong “J” on the Myers Briggs Personality Inventory (MBTI), Barbara figured out what she needed to do: when she needed to do it, and then (with a bit of help from Coach Mom) how to move through these steps quickly but effectively. The result . . . a summer internship at a prestigious firm in New York City for the summer.
This is what Barbara did . . . not alone because a savvy job seeker pulls in all the resources they can. So she had excellent help from the Career Center at Syracuse University, New House School of Communication, and late night help from her ever faithful Coach Mom.
It’s a Journey – Not for the Faint of Heart
It’s tough and not for the faint of heart. But this list of the “must dos” of a job search will give you some ideas if and when you start thinking about a delicious new career chapter for yourself – or maybe for one of those family members who are also itching for a change.
These were Barbara’s 12 job search steps . . .
- Clarified exactly what she wanted – the who, what, where, when & why
- Maximized networking contacts & references to open doors
- Used professional resources and offers of help appropriately
- Designed an eye-catching resume specific to the PR industry
- Created targeted cover letters that matched need to value
- Personalized follow-up emails to ensure a prompt response
- Complied a “I Can Do” mini-portfolio
- Rehearsed telephone interview strategies and questions (& debriefed afterwards)
- Prepared physically, emotionally & mentally for on-site personal interviews (& debriefed afterwards)
- Sent personal thank you letters after every interview
- Graciously handled final offers & negotiated hiring terms/days/responsibilities etc.
- Celebrated!
Is It Worth It?
If you are ready for a brand new career or to take your career up to that next level the answer is a solid YES. But it takes work, perseverance and a belief in yourself that you can make something happen. It might take longer in this tough economy but don’t give up . . . just give it time. And if you get stuck, call me!
The Power of Story Telling in Interviews
Do you get a little nervous and tongue-tied when asked to describe your talents, skills and strengths in a telephone or face-to-face interview? That’s normal. It’s not that you don’t have anything to say – actually you have lots to say – but the challenge is saying something concise and meaningful in a way that captures the interviewer’s interest and conveys the value you can bring the organization.
So try this new, old approach . . . story telling. Everyone loves a good story. And people remember a good story because it creates a visual image for them. We come alive while both telling stories and listening to them. Stories are powerful, but they take planning to avoid the pitfall of a tale that goes on and on.
Selecting Strengths for a Story
Here’s how to get started in deciding what is most important to communicate in an upcoming interview. First, think of a strength that you want to highlight for the interviewer(s). This strength should speak to one of these five P.E.A.K.S areas:
- Your Personal Characteristics (ability to work in a team, leadership, handle conflict, attitude etc.)
- Your professional Experience in this industry or in the responsibilities being requested
- Your Accomplishments which you have been recognized for by your colleagues
- Your Knowledge (formal education and on-going professional development)
- Your range of Skills appropriate to this job opening.
Use the C.A.R. to Create Your Story
Once you have selected the strength that you want to showcase take a minute to rough out one short paragraph that tells the story. And here’s the trick . . . use the C.A.R. format. This works beautifully to keep your story short and to the point.
- C = Challenge (what was the challenge you faced ie. new project, a conflict etc)
- A = Action (what was the action you took – focus on your actions)
- R = Results (what were the concrete results that happened as a result of your actions)
And then the icing on the cake is tieing in the results with the value you could bring this company if hired. Play with this . . . do one story completely and then a couple more. Shoot for about 8 – 10 short stories. Create a cheat sheet for yourself with the C.A.R. format. For each story hit each of the three points briefly adding in the final touch of the value you would bring.
Practice each story out loud to your dog but don’t overdo it. You want your natural voice, enthusiasm and energy to come through as you’re telling the story. After all, you’re talking about you at your best. Good luck out there, and if you see me along the way tell me your best story. I’d love to hear it!
Preparing for Behavioral Based Interviews
What is behavioral interviewing? This relatively new interviewing strategy is based on the premise that relevant past behavior in a work setting can be a very good predictor of future performance in a similar work environment.
It makes perfect sense . . . and for experienced professionals this kind of interviewing allows them to shine by highlighting their experience, accomplishments and expertise through short, powerful stories.
What Does This Mean for Me?
It means that you can relax a bit. Behavioral based interviews tend to have more of a conversational feel to them. You’ll see that they flow naturally and logically as the interviewer looks for your concrete examples of what you have done in the past and how that relates to what you could do for them in the future.
A close cousin of these “past-focused” questions are “future-focused” questions which are looking for your ability to handle a new situation. These are often called competency-based questions because they are looking to future behavior specifically. You will probably be asked both kinds of questions throughout the interview.
First Step in Preparing for Behavioral-Based Questions
The hiring manager will be asking targeted questions tied directly to the desired knowledge and skills competencies usually detailed in the job description. So that’s where you start . . . take the job description and yellow highlight the key compentencies they are asking for.
You will usually see they are looking for this five compentencies:
- specific knowledge
- demonstrated skills
- interpersonal skills
- proven experience and
- accomplishments in the chosen area
In my next blog, I’ll teach you how to tell a powerful story using C.A.R to illustrate each of these areas. It’s an easy way to remember and tell an interviewer your career strengths. You will be surprised how easy it is!