Relocating from one country to another is challenging enough in the best of times. From finding a job in a foreign country to negotiating visa processes, there’s no doubt that it’s a mammoth task. Often, timing is key. That’s why, at first glance, it may seem almost impossible to consider relocating for work in the middle of a global pandemic.
But actually, there are countries that have bounced back from the pandemic quickly and would certainly be a good place to relocate to right now. Namely, Australia. Their economic recovery is stronger than anyone anticipated. Fiscal stimulus and control of the spread of COVID-19 has helped to create a strong jobs market. In fact, our Hays Australia and New Zealand Salary Guide FY21/22 shows that unemployment has continued its downward trend.
Skills shortages result in job opportunities in Australia
Today, almost three-quarters of employers in Australia and New Zealand say permanent staffing levels are either above or equal to their pre-COVID-19 level. Perhaps most importantly, 63 per cent have returned to growth or rapid growth, and 72 per cent say business activity will increase over the next 12 months. Furthermore, almost one-half (47 per cent) of employers intend to increase permanent staff levels in the next 12 months, while 15 per cent will increase their use of temporary or contract staff. This shows just how great the opportunity for jobseekers is; employers are looking for new employees – inside and outside of Australia.
But while employers hold positive hiring intentions for the year ahead, acquiring top talent with the right skills won’t be as easy as it first seems. An old challenge has reared its head once more: skills shortages. In fact, almost two-thirds of employers say skills shortages will impact the effective operation of their organisation or department in the next 12 months.
So, what does that mean for jobseekers?
Australian employers are looking for overseas talent
Earlier this year, Australia’s treasurer Josh Frydenberg unveiled measures to make it easier for businesses to attract talent from overseas. As part of Australia’s 2021-22 Budget, the Government is introducing “a new Global Talent visa and Temporary Activity visa and will modernise the framework for individual tax residency, to encourage highly skilled individuals to relocate to Australia”. That means that where previously it was challenging to gain visa rights to move to Australia, there is a much greater opportunity for those looking to move.
Furthermore, the treasurer told ABC News: “While other countries struggle to contain the virus and are moving to increase taxes, our focus is on driving an even stronger recovery and attracting the best and brightest to help set Australia up for the future.” This demonstrates exactly why jobseekers should consider relocating to Australia; they are at a much more advanced stage of COVID recovery than many other countries across the world.
At Hays Globalink, we are focused on helping individuals with their career transitions to Australia and New Zealand. In addition to returning Aussies and Kiwis, this includes a pool of talent ranging from Britons achieving sponsorship with highly sought-after skills to those looking for a working holiday. Today, despite the global pandemic, we continue to work with our colleagues in Australia and New Zealand to fill jobs in areas where local talent is in short supply. The Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) of 19 critically sought skills, which is still in use, makes it possible to relocate people with the skills needed to Australia.
Martin’s story
One professional whom we recently recruited into an Australian role is Martin. A UK Citizen, Martin possesses unique skills that are listed on the PMSOL and are highly sought-after for key defence roles in South Australia. With a local skills shortage, our Hays office in Adelaide cast the net wide to source suitable candidates from overseas for these roles. We worked with candidates here in Britain and with our colleagues in Adelaide and were thrilled to recruit Martin into one of these roles.
Having successfully relocated to Australia with his partner Charlotte (who had never previously set foot in Australia), we asked Martin a few questions about his recent experience:
What made you consider relocating to Australia during a pandemic?
Martin: My job in the UK was good, but Diane from Hays Globalink approached me about this great new opportunity that offered more money and a better lifestyle – it’s that simple. This job offered my partner Charlotte and I the chance to save for a mortgage and achieve a better work-life balance.
Did the pandemic discourage you?
Martin: In a way, the pandemic encouraged us as Australia has dealt with it so much better than many other countries. So, we felt safer and confident in our move over here.
How did you find the remote interview process?
Martin: It was very straightforward. I found it very easy to get onto Zoom and I had plenty of help from the Hays team and my now employer. For me, the interview nerves aren’t as bad when you’re talking through a screen, although it’s difficult to read body language and get a feel for what your interviewer is thinking when you’re not in the room. All in all, the entire process was painless and straightforward.
How was the visa process?
Martin: The application was stressful. While gathering all the information didn’t take long, there was a lot of paperwork and a lot of details were required. Once the application was submitted, we had to then wait for a response, which can cause some anxiety. However, Charlotte and I were lucky as we worked with an immigration officer, Karen, who made the whole process so much easier. From receiving the job offer in September, our visas were approved at the end of November and we landed in Australia for our two-weeks quarantine on the 2nd of February. COVID-19 did not delay the visa, but our January flights were delayed and so our plans were pushed back by one month. We had already quit our jobs by that stage but, luckily, we were able to live at Charlotte’s dad’s house until we left for Australia.
What was the most challenging aspect of relocating?
Martin: The most challenging part was leaving family and friends behind. Due to the pandemic, I doubt we will see them for a while. This has made it tough on both of us. We also decided not to ship any of our belongings. Instead, we relocated with just two large suitcases! From there, we found what we needed and we’re now living in a great house that has everything we need and has plenty of room.
What are your top tips for others looking to relocate?
Martin: Firstly, save as much money as you can before you leave the UK. It will make your life so much easier. We arrived here with $10,000 and while it didn’t last us long, it helped us settle in enormously. Find a nice area to live in as this makes all the difference. Charlotte did a lot of research, which is essential. Two weeks in quarantine can be tough, so bring plenty of things with you to occupy yourself. I’d also advise people to get their bank account sorted while in the UK. In addition, you need an Australian driver license to get finance on a car here. Finally, relax and take some time to have a break. You don’t realise it at the time but relocating does take a lot out of you. All in all, it’s been a great experience. Once you’re here and all set up, you will not look back – here’s a photo as evidence!
Martin and Charlotte loving life in Australia!
About Hays Globalink
Hays Globalink was established over 15 years ago. Since then, we’ve recruited thousands of UK-based professionals into jobs in Australia and New Zealand. Even today during a pandemic, our role remains to assist individuals with their career transition to those countries. As Martin and Charlotte’s story shows, relocating still offers enormous benefits and their success story makes our job worthwhile.
If you’re based in the UK/Ireland and interested in opportunities in Australia or New Zealand, please reach out to the team on 0203 465 0158 or [email protected].
As leaders continually adapt to the ever-changing world of work, emotional intelligence has become an increasingly important trait to possess to effectively build trust and confidence with their teams.
So today, we’re joined by Shannon Houde, Founder and Managing Director of Walk of Life Coaching, Certified Executive Coach, and Author of the book, Good Work. Shannon is here today to share her expert advice to help leaders develop their emotional intelligence.
1. To begin with, please could you introduce yourself to our listeners?
(01:00) Absolutely, thank you for hosting today, this is one of my favourite topics, emotional intelligence for leaders, so thank you for having me.
I have been running a coaching business now for more than a decade to help leaders unleash their own potential of being able to create impact both for our planet and the people they work with, as well as the bottom line profit numbers.
2. What are some of the main challenges your clients are facing at the moment?
(01:38) In terms of emotional intelligence, I think a lot of us are challenged by coming out of the pandemic and rebalancing our lives in terms of mental health, also in terms of the pace of change and pace of the lives we had before the pandemic.
So, what I’m seeing is a great increase in people, leaders, managers, emerging colleagues trying to get a grip on their lives. Figure out what is their purpose? What is driving them? What gets them out of bed in the morning? How can they recalibrate their lives a bit post-pandemic to stay more in balance, and to really make a difference to start doing more than just making an income? That’s the umbrella that I work within the sustainability, environmental, and charity sectors.
I think that’s the benefit that’s come off the back of this pandemic. We’ve had more time to reflect on who we are, and how we are all part of a solidarity movement together as a global culture.
3. Can you explain what we mean by the term emotional intelligence?
(02:58) Absolutely, it’s quite all-encompassing and quite complex in some ways because it covers so many different areas. Basically, it’s our ability to understand ourselves, manage our own response, listen, understand others, and then be able to manage those relationships. So, it’s this holistic ability to navigate our interactions with ourselves and others.
4. Why do you think it’s become more important for leaders to be emotionally intelligent?
(03:37) I think it goes back to that same issue of pace, right? We’re in this fast-paced digital world, with lots of pressures, dual-income families, lots of economic challenges that we’re all experiencing personally as well as professionally. To be able to have the insights about our self to best be able to respond to life challenges, and to continue to influence and grow with others in our context, both personally and professionally.
5. What are the benefits that the emotional intelligence of a leader can have, not just for them but on the team and ultimately the wider organisation?
(04:25) There are about six main themes when I think about the benefits of having high EQ (Emotional Quotient) or EI (Emotional Intelligence) as we can also call it.
One is the ability to strive to meet or exceed high standards. So, you increase your ability to deliver results in a softer way rather than plunging forward, thinking only about goals and results. You do that in a softer way, and you end up being able to reach a higher standard.
You’re also able to adapt to change and help make change happen. As we know, the pace of change now in business is so rapid and innovation, staying ahead of the market, and being agile and responsive to global effects on our businesses is important for leaders.
They’re also able to maintain their effectiveness under stress, look for ways to overcome obstacles, show empathy and insights in their relationships, and resolve conflict, lead others, and cooperate. All of this allows an emotionally intelligent leader to be able to better influence, coach, and develop others, and bring out the best in themselves and others.
6. What do you think are some of the tell-tale signs that people can use to spot when they’re working with an emotionally intelligent leader?
(05:56) Well, there’s a model that I’ve been trained on and I’m a coach for, which is Daniel Goleman’s Coaching Programme that he runs. He’s the father of emotional intelligence whom rebranded it back in the 1990s, has written many books on this and he now has a coaching programme to help coaches like myself bring this more into business, and line-up with leadership development.
And the framework that he uses is a very simple, four-quadrant framework where we look at; Are you self-aware? Are you able to listen and understand yourself? Are you able to feel emotion and recognise how your body is responding to stress or a challenge?
The second quadrant is then being able to self-manage that. How do you respond to that? How do you manage and adapt for yourself for your own response to those external challenges? How are you able to monitor and be mindful in your actions off the back of those insights you have about your own self-awareness?
And then, the third quadrant is social awareness. Are you aware of others? Are you able to listen and understand others? And then are you able to manage those relationships effectively?
Now, the cross-cutting skill that sits across all four of those quadrants, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management is empathy. And empathy is a word that some of us don’t really understand, or we think it’s a little too soft but, it’s actually the key skill. Simply put, I think what empathy really means is listening without responding. It means really sitting with someone else and hearing what they are saying, to try to seek to understand where they’re coming from.
What that offers a leader is an ability to really be able to position whatever their own agenda is through the lens of the other person. That allows leaders to lead change as well as shift mindsets, gain buy-in, and build morale that is actually not forcing things on others but rather having them feel that they’re leading that journey.
So empathy, really is that key tell-tale sign of an emotionally intelligent leader. They don’t always have all the answers, they don’t feel they need to have all the answers, but they’re going to engage, enable, and empower others on the journey through good listening and empathy skills.
7. It’s an interesting model you’ve just talked us through there and the first element you mentioned was self-awareness. Just how important is it for leaders to recognise their own emotions, perhaps when they’re excited or frustrated, and the impact this can have on their teams?
(09:05) Again, I think we rush through life in a way, right? We rush through meetings, we go from meeting to meeting, we go from goal, target or KPI to the next one. And being able to just actually sit and feel what’s happening in our bodies, and being mindful of that gives us this mini-break, almost 30 seconds of mindfulness that allows us to take the time to process what’s happening internally, so that we can choose how we want to respond to others.
And what that impact, insight or emotional intelligence around self-awareness brings is that we then become less reactive, forceful, or contentious because we actually are giving ourselves this little mini pause where we’re just tapping into what’s really going on for us. What am I really thinking? How am I really feeling about that? What was said or what just happened? And this allows us to then proactively respond in a way that considers the audience and the other person in that conversation. It really brings people along with you rather than it being a top-down approach for a leader.
8. I know that our listeners in this podcast are leading teams, departments, and entire organisations. Do you have any tips that you can share on how these leaders can develop and improve their self-awareness?
(10:40) Well, that’s a journey. I think that’s a lifetime journey, to be honest. Those of us that have been on it, you’re never done. But if you’d like to get started in terms of building your own self-awareness, I definitely think there are things you can do on your own like reading certain books by the likes of Daniel Goleman around emotional intelligence. There are also books by Stephen Covey that I think are extremely helpful, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. So, if you want to self-study, you could do some of that. There’s also a book called “The Chimp Paradox” by Steve Peters, who I think is really a life changer.
But it’s about developing new habits. The first step is wanting to change or develop that self-awareness. If you have that, the rest is going to be easy because you’re already motivated. You can either do it by reading books and trying to do it on your own. You can join a mindfulness-based stress reduction or mindfulness course. You can download apps like Insight Timer where you can be self-trained about how to develop mindfulness.
But really, mindfulness is about pausing, sitting still, and listening to self. That’s what self-awareness really is. It’s about being able to hear what’s really going on for you, and how you are processing the externalities coming in at such a fast pace. So, it starts with the motivation to want to develop that self-awareness skill or self-regulation skill, and then it’s about what is your learning style to get there.
The second aspect of the model you talked us through is self-regulation. I can certainly, in myself, sometimes be aware of my emotions or my mood is fluctuating. I think the thing that I struggle more with is then regulating those emotions.
9. What can leaders do to improve their ability to self-regulate?
(12:37) Great question because this is the action piece. You can sit, think, reflect, and gain insight, but then what are you going to do with that information? So, it’s about developing your own self-control around your emotional response. Again, it’s about taking that millisecond of a pause between what you’re hearing come to you, what your externality or your input is that you’re getting from someone else, and then giving yourself permission to pause before responding.
If you think about impactful thought leaders, public speakers, or politicians even, they’re very intentional about how they’re responding and what they’re saying. So, I think slowing down and taking a pause is the most important simple task you can do to start self-regulating better. It’s really shifting from reacting in a knee-jerk response to responding in an intentional mindful way to whatever that situation or conversation is that you’re in.
10. And I’d imagine that this self-regulation and accountability, will also help leaders to develop trust within their teams?
(13:58) Absolutely, if you think about your personal or professional relationships, trust is always the bedrock. It’s easily destroyed and it’s harder to build. So, this is a very solid way to start building that because people feel heard. They feel listened to, valued, empowered, and all those things are what builds positive morale and culture.
11. How can leaders understand their own teams drive to succeed? And why does it matter to identify this?
(14:40) Well, that’s probably the main reason, right? We all have different learning styles. We all have different motivations. Those motivations can change over time, but if we really want to shift behaviours, or we want to shift mindsets, or we want to gain buy-in, build morale, or whatever it is we’re trying to do that’s interacting with another human or a group of humans in a team. It’s back to that empathy piece where we really need to be able to understand the other person, to understand the audience of who we’re working with, and who we’re trying to collaborate with so that we can meet them halfway.
I think where we see this challenged is when we’ve got very top-down authoritarian leadership styles which can work, can get the results, but you lose the people along the way. So, I think that’s the big shift and being able to be a team leader is bringing the people on the journey with you in a way that they feel they’re almost leading it.
12. When you are in a leadership role and you do want to bring your team along with you, or role model your own motivation and commitment to an organisation’s ambitions, how do you go about doing that? How do you bring people with you?
(16:03) We say a lot of it, building buy-in, right? Again, it’s using your techniques of empathy, listening, and enabling others to feel that it’s their journey, it’s their agenda. You’re not pushing something on them but you’re walking alongside them. And this is a universal human thing, it doesn’t really matter what your personal motivation is, but that alone will motivate people to act, be loyal and build that trust. Those are the key pillars that allow us to really be able to shift behaviours, mindsets and bring people along with us.
13. I wanted to talk about empathy which I’ve thought about in terms of my personal relationships and charitable giving, but it’s also the fourth competency in the model you mentioned. What can leaders do and what should they be doing to demonstrate empathy towards their teams?
(17:05) Yes, it’s the cross-cutting piece of the model, we‘ve got the four quadrants: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management, and what cross cuts all four of those quadrants to be a successful emotionally intelligent leader, empathy sits in the middle. So, it’s basically the cross-cutting skill that holds all those four quadrants together.
And in order to implement that or to use that to your advantage as an emotionally intelligent leader and bring the teams along with you, there’s four things I always say to do as a way to do empathy, if there’s such a thing, and to convert your emotional intelligence to be more empathetic.
The first is to stop and pay attention. Look at the verbal cues of your team. What words are they using? What is their body language? And starting to process those non-direct cues in communications. We do a lot of communicating that’s non-verbal, and I think it gets lost. So, being more aware of that, processing that, and then being able to respond differently based on what kinds of non-verbal cues you’re getting. That’s the first one.
The second one is to let yourself feel their emotions. You’re not just imagining what they’re feeling, and you’re not being sympathetic. You’re really letting yourself step into their shoes. I call it “crossing the bridge”. You’re on the other side of the bridge, you’ve let go of your own agenda, you’ve let go of your own story’s in your head. And you’re truly allowing yourself to see and feel something from that other person’s perspective.
The third one is to listen and accept their interpretation. Listening is the second most powerful way to create a connection. But listening without being judgemental and without trying to change their mind so that they agree with you is the first most powerful way. So, it’s about listening and accepting their interpretation or their world view without being judgemental.
And the fourth and last is to pause between stimulus and response to consider your outcome. So, you’re in control of managing those emotions and how you respond influences how others are going to respond back to you. That’s that pause piece, it’s a millisecond. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, but it’s that processing just before you respond, or you speak that really allows you to improve that connection with others.
Absolutely brilliant advice there. Some of which I think, just from my own experience, is really, useful but also really challenging to apply, and also to apply consistently as well.
(19:57) Well, that’s the thing. We think, “Oh, we can’t really teach an old dog new tricks.” But we now have neuroscience proof that if you start practising this, and sometimes that does take a coaching relationship or something a bit more structured to shift your own behaviours. But we have proof now through neuroscience that it is possible to retrain our brains, to retrain the way that we respond. It takes time and as we know breaking habits or starting new ones takes hundreds of days, but it’s possible and that scientific backing on that is really motivating.
14. The final competency that you mentioned was social skills. Just how important is both verbal communication and body language in emotional intelligence when leaders are communicating with their team, whether that’s delivering a new policy or in the day-to-day interactions that they have?
(21:03) Communication really is probably the most important skill any of us have. At the centre of everything we do, no matter what, our jobs are people, right? What do we do with people? We communicate whether that’s through a text, email, verbal, or non-verbal. We are all communicating all day every day with other humans.
So, if you think about the amount of time we’re using and flexing that skill set, it’s probably the most important. Underpin your communication skills with that empathy, you’re going to improve on your ability again to bring others along and help others to see your perspective because you’re actually prioritising their perspective.
The verbal versus body language is also really interesting. I think we’re very focused on verbal communication, whether that’s written or verbal. In fact, body language tells us so much. So, starting with yourself, again, being aware of how your body is reacting to a certain situation, comment, challenge, or stress is as important as being able to watch others’ body language and response. They’re communicating to you not just through their words but through their body. Having a new radar up for that is going to give you new intelligence, new insights into what’s really going on for that other person.
I’ve seen it so many times more recently on video calls than in face-to-face meetings. Someone is delivering one message verbally and their body language is saying perhaps the complete opposite. That I’m not excited about this idea or engaged with this because my body language is really shut down, and it undermines or can undermine what’s being said verbally.
(23:01) Yes, exactly. If you’re just a little bit more attuned to that, you’ll be able to then process it and integrate it into how you’re going to respond to them. One thing we do in coaching is we often say, “I’ve noticed that your energy shifted when you said that.” So, we then explore. Why is their energy shifting? What has happened to them? What story in their head did that trigger? That’s the work you would be doing for yourself, and then helping to translate what others are giving you in terms of those feedback loops.
15. Is there anything else that leaders can do or skills that they need to possess outside of what we’ve already discussed, to help them develop and grow their emotional intelligence?
(23:46) I think it’s really that motivation and commitment. If you want to make these changes, you want to be a better leader, you want to be more emotionally intelligent both for your teams, for your own professional development, but also your personal life, don’t forget that this is all extremely powerful in building a life of happiness. This won’t just affect you in your professional life, but it will affect you across all your relationships.
So, if you’re motivated to do that, you’ve got the neuroscience that proves you can do it, and that you can retrain your brain. It’s about deciding what you’re willing to invest. Do you want to do a coaching programme with a coach and do one-on-one? Do you want to join some courses to learn more about this? Do you want to set aside five minutes a day just to sit and do a mindfulness practice? What are you willing to commit to, and what is your learning style so that you can start to integrate some of these practices and learnings into your day-to-day?
16. I’d like to finish with a question that we ask all our podcast guests. Outside of emotional intelligence, what do you think are the three qualities that make a good leader? And crucially, do you think these qualities have changed because of the pandemic?
(25:06) Yes, I love that reflection of pre-pandemic and post-pandemic. Again, I think as a leader, it’s about being able to read your audience. You have lots of different audiences as a leader, you’ve got your board, your investors, your team, and lots of different stakeholders that you’re going to be interacting with daily. So it’s being able to, again, read their response, understand where they’re coming from, and leveraging that insight about the lens that you should be trying to reach them through, or the communication style that you need to reach them through, so that you can bring them along with you and build that credibility and trust. That’s the first one.
I think the second one is probably being able to motivate others. Again, we all have different ways to be motivated. Some with a salary raise, others just want to feel recognised, but being able to understand what motivates those stakeholders, especially your team. So, those are the two key qualities that make a good leader.
I think the third one is just to have your finger on the pulse around, where is everyone going together? What is the future looking like? How do you engage others on that journey so that they feel that they’re empowered and enabled to create change and live into their own personal purpose? We are all very motivated by purpose, and that’s not something that we’re often proactively conscious of. But that is how we create happy, balanced, and successful teams and employees. So as a leader, I think that’s one of your key jobs.
Then has this changed as a result of the pandemic? I think this whole work-from-home video interaction has really been a challenge for leaders, teams, and employees. We’re now interfacing through a box or through a screen and it does change how we’re able to connect. We don’t feel each other’s energy, we don’t just grab a quick coffee and have a chat about something that’s non-work related.
So, I think the one main thing I would probably just encourage all of us to think about is, how can we have an offline conversation with our colleagues like we would if we were in the office more? How can that really help us to build that trust and relationship beyond what is on the agenda for that Zoom meeting or call? Again, really looking at others as humans and as like-minded individuals that were all in this together. We’re collaborating for a common goal so let’s also have a personal side to things even though we’re trying to achieve objectives on behalf of the business.
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How can leaders keep a strong company culture alive in a hybrid working world?
For expert insights and advice on building and nurturing company culture in the new era of work, watch our live event featuring our Group Head of People and Culture, Sandra Henke and Valerie Hughes-D’Aeth, Chair of the Board of Trustees at CIPD.
It’s probably happened to you at least once before… during your job search you’ve spotted the perfect job advertisement that you’d love to apply for, only to realise you don’t quite match all the stated job requirements.
Perhaps you feel you don’t have the specific experience the job description states is needed, or you lack a particular technical skill that is listed. The chances are that because of this, you counted yourself out, and didn’t apply for the role.
The next time this happens to you, don’t discount applying in the first instance. Instead, assess whether the skills or competencies you lack are fundamental key requirements for the job – if not, do you possess the other required skills to ensure you can do the job successfully?
Take a step back and look at the role in terms of how it plays to your true potential, rather than whether you tick every single box. Doing so will help you decide whether you should apply.
Three reasons why you should still apply for a job, even if you don’t meet all the requirements
Of course, if you see an attractive job advertisement and there are not just one, but several key requirements that you don’t meet – then it’s probably best to not apply.
But if there are only a few ‘desirable’ (as opposed to ‘essential’) things you lack from the stated list of requirements – for example, experience using a software package that isn’t of central importance to the job, or knowledge about the organisation or industry that you could learn– you should still apply.
Here are the reasons why:
1. It’s unlikely that the employer is looking for an exact match
Remember that when the hiring manager was writing this job description and listing the requirements for their desired applicant, they had their ‘dream’ new hire in the back of their mind. It’s therefore highly unlikely that any candidate will meet every single one of the criteria. For this reason, there can be a certain level of flexibility surrounding job descriptions. The hiring manager will most likely be open-minded when reviewing job seekers and applications, considering potential rather than looking for an exact match.
2. You’ll be able to learn certain skills ‘on the job’
Applying for a job that you don’t meet all the requirements for means this position would enable you to learn new skills and competencies. That may include particular technical skills, a program you’ve not used before, or even a soft skill you’ve not needed to exercise yet in your career.
As an added benefit, given that you’ll be upskilling in the role, you’re likely to remain longer term, since you’ll grow and develop over time. Some hiring managers therefore find candidates who can grow into the role very appealing prospects. At the minimum, such hiring managers will invite you for an interview so you can explain how exactly you’d fulfil the job requirements and what other value your transferable skills could bring to their organisation.
3. You can bring other qualities to the role
As mentioned, there will be other unique and relevant qualities you have that will differ from what the hiring manager was perhaps expecting. These might more than compensate for any skills, competencies or experience you lack on the basis of the job posting alone, especially if the hiring manager is looking to add diverse skills or more varied qualified candidates to their organisation. With diversity of thought a growing focus, your additional skills could be viewed as beneficial and a way to bring unique viewpoints to the team.
There’s no harm in applying
There is plenty of reason, then, not to shy away from a job opportunity that you don’t meet 100 per cent of the criteria for. Don’t allow imposter syndrome or a lack of self-confidence to discount you from applying for jobs you would almost certainly be able to do well.
And in any case, what’s the worst that could happen? As Bill Gardner, Forbes contributor and leadership coach, says: “What’s the harm in applying? If you don’t get it, you still get the application, and maybe interview experience.” With this experience, you are more prepared to continue your job search.
How to successfully apply for a role when you don’t meet all the job requirements
Rather than highlighting in your job application or cover letter that you don’t meet requirement x, y or z, focus your CV, cover letter and interview answers on what you can bring to the role.
Think about which relevant transferrable skills you have
If, for example, line-management experience is required, and you’ve not directly managed a team of your own, consider including any experiences you’ve had that could relate. Maybe you’ve supervised and led a team on a specific project, or you’ve managed projects which have meant you’ve enhanced your stakeholder management as a result? Even illustrating strong upwards management experience will help your application.
Demonstrate your willingness to learn
If you’re missing a particular skill or experience using a certain program, ensure you’ve researched what you would need to do in order to overcome this gap. Maybe, for example, you’re skilled in Excel but not in Access, but have already identified an online course that you could embark on to update your skills? What’s important here is that you make it clear to the hiring manager that you are committed to your own development and have a natural thirst for learning new things. You can also use your social media profile to showcase your continuous learning mindset – after all, expect hiring managers to review your social media profiles, too.
Use keywords from the job description in your CV and cover letter
As mentioned, not having all of the ‘required’ skills and experiences for a job doesn’t necessarily rule you out of the running. It does, though, place a greater onus on you making it as obvious as possible to the hiring manager how well-matched you are to the role. Mirroring the language used in the job description in your CV, supported by action verbs like “built”, “headed” and “enhanced”, will draw attention to your relevant results and achievements. If the employer is looking for a strong communicator, for instance, you should use that wording on your CV.
Provide examples of your work and demonstrate your expertise
Then, back up your resume claims with real-life evidence of your successes in previous roles to help the reader appreciate your potential, even if your existing skills don’t exactly match all of the requirements listed in the job advertisement.
Perhaps there is some experience you have that is not listed as required in the job specification, but you feel it makes you a more attractive prospect? For example, you may have worked in an industry that is similar or complementary to the one requested. Or you might possess skills in using a particular tool or software that could make you more effective in the role, despite the job description not mentioning it.
Demonstrate your passion for the industry and role
You can acquire skills, but not enthusiasm. You’re either genuinely excited about a role, or you aren’t. And who knows – if you don’t have all of the required skills or years of experience but apply anyway, the hiring manager may decide that your passion for the vacancy still makes it well worth considering you. Consider, too, what activities you’re already doing in your day-to-day professional life that indicate this passion. Do you regularly attend industry events like webinars? Are you always listening to the latest podcast to upskill in your particular field? Are you studying for additional qualifications?
Unfortunately, there won’t be much space on your CV to portray this passion – so make use of the cover letter to convey this information to illustrate your commitment and enthusiasm.
Connect the dots and prove your transferable skills
So, from now on, are you going to reach for your goals, realise your potential and apply for a job that you may think is out of your league? Remember, even if you don’t, at first glance, match 100% of the requirements set out in the job description, this should not necessarily stop you from applying if you possess most of them.
Prove how your transferable skills, experiences and potential make you a great fit for the role, as well as your willingness to learn more, and who knows – you might just get the job. Good luck!
Want advice on the points in this article? Read more :
Pride Day, celebrated on different dates internationally, is the annual occasion to show support to the LGBTQ+ community through large parades and celebrations. If the circumstances were different, the streets would already be full of rainbow flags and marches in favour of gender and sexual diversity. Although the pandemic is not as bad as it was in 2020, this year the healthcare situation is still fragile in most countries and the ways to show our support for Pride still need to be readapted.
This year has been devasting for social affairs, especially for people who identify as part of LGBTQ+ community. During 2020’s strict lockdown and the social distancing rules, which in different measure still apply to this day, many groups that were already vulnerable before the pandemic are even more so today. According to a report by Spain’s National Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals and Bisexuals (FELGTB), LGTBI people over 55 suffer three times more depression and anxiety. And, if these numbers were concerning in the world pre-covid, they should be more alarming in the new normal.
Such data represents a reality in our society that we must face so that people with different sexual and gender identities are not discriminated against. We have to understand that generally we are not aware of the difficulties faced by the members of the LGBTQ+ community. We need to be open and listen and let them show us the way to become truly inclusive.
As time passes, we’re moving towards an increasingly equal and inclusive labour market, where different identities are accepted and only merits and qualities matter. However, this doesn’t mean that there are no goals still left to achieve nor that we must stop advocating for the inclusion of this community. As a global recruitment group, from Hays we want to offer a short guide of six principles that can help any business become more open, plural and respectful.
1. Coming out of the closet is a continuous experience, not a unique situation
This first principle is fairly common, especially in the workplace. The ‘closet’ is often referred to as a metaphoric place where once you’re out you never go back. When, in fact, the opposite happens. According to a McKinsey Report, ‘coming out of the closet’ is a situation that the members of the LGBTQ+ community experience on a monthly basis, even weekly and daily depending on each case. Workers find themselves having to correct their colleagues regarding their personal situation or having to reaffirm the assumptions others make about them. This is why replacing expressions such as ‘fathers and mothers’ for ‘families’ or ‘boyfriends or girlfriends’ for ‘couples’ is quite useful and inclusive. It allows anyone to feel included and doesn’t assume anyone’s gender nor identity.
2. Someone’s sexuality or gender identity cannot be a taboo
As mentioned in the LGBT+ ADIM Guide, developed by Spain’s Government, not assuming someone’s sexuality or identity should not be confused with turning the subject into a secret or a taboo. It is very easy to say “I don’t care what anyone does at home.” But following this mindset is very dangerous nowadays, as it makes all non-straight people invisible. There is a middle ground between not assuming and being able to freely share matters about one’s sentimental life. Saying ‘I don’t care’ can impose the Law of Silence, where things are not normalized. We spend a large part of our daily life working, and encouraging people to feel fulfilled and be themselves in the workplace is essential to achieve an inclusive company. You do not have to force or assume, it is simply about creating the right kind of environment.
3. Not all people in the LGBTQ+ community are Gay men
When we speak, for example, about standing up for the ‘Gay community’ or attending ‘Gay Pride’, we are referring only to defending the rights of homosexual men. Lesbians, bisexuals, transgender, transsexuals, etc. should not be invisible. Companies and organizations have to advocate for all the people in the LGBTQ+ community. Each group has different experiences, but they all are related to gender and identity. Including the acronym LGBTQ+ and encouraging others to speak about the issues in each letter is essential; such as the difficulty of recognizing their own gender faced by trans people, or the social invisibility suffered by bisexual people. All letters in LGBTQ+ matter.
4. Discrimination is not always easy to detect
When we think of discrimination in the workplace, the first thing that usually comes to mind are insults, mobbing or even an unfair dismissal. These are very serious and concerning topics, but the discrimination in these cases is obvious, almost undeniable. Then, there’s a large etcetera of scenarios, much more frequent and difficult to solve: jokes, comments, rumors, light mockery… It all starts with setting a good example from above. Make sure leaders and managers are the first to show zero tolerance for jokes that can make someone feel uncomfortable or unfulfilled at work.
5. Language and visibility matter a lot
At this point and after more than 50 years since the Stonewall riots in 1969, it might seem like showing support for the LGBTQ+ community is redundant and unnecessary. But this perception could not be further from the truth. Showing support for the movement both internally and externally and manifesting that a an organization is in full support of anyone’s sexuality and gender often creates a comfort effect among current employees and favours the inclusion of future employees.
Signs of support can’t only be based on changing a company’s logo on social media and putting on a rainbow costume once a year. At Hays we like to reiterate that Pride should be celebrated all year round. Participating in demonstrations and joining campaigns can be part of the plan, but companies need to ensure that managers and directors are just as consistent with diversity values. Including protocols in HR departments or organizing talks and trainings on D&I are some of the first steps to guarantee an equal treatment of all employees.
5. It is no longer enough to be neutral, it is time to take action
In the work environment of 2021, it is no longer just a matter of acknowledging that all workers are equally valid. It is time to show that companies support the LGBTQ+ community and all that this entails. A very useful initiative is to promote the creation of internal committees that are in charge of promoting the acceptance of the different sexual and gender identities, which can be made up of both people from within the community and allies.
At Hays a couple of years ago we created the Hays Pride Network initiative, which brings together the different Pride committees from around the globe. This year, the committee has been materialized in Spain, with real plans and objectives for the upcoming years. Involving employees is essential and we hope to contribute to a greater acceptance, inclusion and diversity in our immediate environment. Understanding that our social system is exclusive by default is the first step on the road to equality. Doors must be opened for those who have been discriminated; this is the only way to achieve real change. We look forward to talking about more social progress in 2022, celebrating Pride as we used to. Until then, we promise to keep moving in the right direction.
When operating in a position of leadership, higher demands, pressures, and responsibilities can sometimes make it difficult to cope and effectively manage your work and teams. As a result, resilience is proving more important than ever before to adapt to this ever-changing climate. So today, we’re joined by Dr. Susan Kahn, Business Psychologist and Coach, and author of the new book Bounce Back.
Susan is here to share her expert advice to help business leaders build resilience in themselves and role model this trait to support their teams too.
1. To begin with, please can I ask you to introduce yourself to our listeners and tell us a little bit more about your background and your career journey to date?
(01:16) Yes, of course. Well, I began my career as an anthropology graduate who joined telecoms and later, as you know, moved on to become a Business Psychologist. Telecoms was an extremely exciting time of transformation when I joined and I became fascinated there, both by the way organisations change, the way products and services change, but also about the way people led and directed that change.
And then through various twists and turns, I trained as a consultant using psychoanalytic methods and began to investigate below the surface dynamics in organisations. So, distinguishing between what’s presented and what’s really going on. And this work feeds into everything I do, really. In my writing, my teaching, and my coaching work.
2. And what sparked your interest in resilience led you to write your book Bounce Back?
(02:18) Well, during the financial recession of 2007, I was doing some research in a failed bank, and I had a very privileged position witnessing the very slow shutdown of this organisation, and exploring the experience of loss and endings and really catastrophic change. And it was fascinating to note who within that organisation seemed to work through those challenges with relative ease and those who got stuck and really struggled. And this fascination led to another book on loss and mourning, but ultimately to Kogan Page approaching me about writing Bounce Back.
3. In your book, you devote a chapter to the specific resilience challenges that leaders face. Can you tell us more about this area of developing resilience in a bit more detail?
(03:14) Yes, I think leaders face a challenge when their organisation, or team, or as we’re experiencing now, world events are stressful or demanding. Because they not only have to manage their own fear, their own panic, their own anxiety, and perhaps even dread, but at the same time, be a containing and supportive force for those around them, reassuring those that they’ve kind of got this, that they’re leading those who are turning to them for guidance and support with authority and with capability. And it’s a tough position to be in. So, you’re almost sandwiched between two demanding forces. And perhaps also, this is particularly challenging for newly appointed managers or people who are in new organisations establishing themselves.
4. And why do you think it’s so important for business leaders to build resilience right now? What are the common challenges that resilience will help them overcome?
(04:16) Well, I think it’s very important to acknowledge that we are all in the situation of stress and anxiety, that we’ve been in for a very long time. We have been working and living and experiencing a period of enormous flux, and that has created an opportunity to develop our resilience, but also really to be challenged.
We’ve moved from the resilience that’s required for dealing with an emergency, that fight-flight response, to something immediately challenging, to this very long drip-feed experience where we don’t know the end. So, we’re in a very heightened state and that demands a sense of long resilience. We have the psychological impact of social distancing, the loneliness and fatigue that goes along with that.
And business leaders must communicate constantly to make sure that their people are feeling connected, understood, and supported. And that is much more demanding now, there are so many unexpected things that are happening and so many ways in which people respond to the crisis, that we have a lot of challenges as leaders. And to overcome them, I think that we need to really focus on attending to ourselves as leaders, to our own wellbeing, our own self-awareness.
5. Sticking with this, what are the key benefits of resilience, and are these becoming even more important for leaders to own in this world of work?
(06:02) I mean, you’re so right, Megan, things are changing so fast. It’s hard to anticipate even what’s going to be coming in the next month, never mind in the coming years. So I think that, in terms of the benefits of resilience, it might sound a little bit counter-intuitive for me to report that I think a kinder and more benevolent approach to decisions is a really positive impact of becoming more resilient.
Being able to take a helicopter view— In my work as a mediator, we often use the term ‘turning to the balcony’, taking another perspective on things and developing resilience. We have this capacity to stand back, to leave the current crisis and look at what’s going on and attached to that as a sense of opportunity to learn.
Lots of work has been done on post-traumatic stress and the aftereffects of going through real crisis but there’s less attention given to what’s known as post-traumatic growth, the idea that through real adversity, we can learn and grow so much. And I suspect many people are sitting in that position now, that despite the difficulties, they’ve really grown through this period of challenge.
But just to add, particularly for leaders, this idea of being a model mentor to others can be both a wonderful opportunity for you to share your learning and expertise, but again, another demand. I think generally with resilience, one can turn to the master of resilience, the master of working through adversity, Viktor Frankl, who says that when we’re no longer able to change a situation, we’re challenged to change ourselves. And this is really at the heart of resilience.
6. What traits do leaders need to possess the kind of resilience that we’ve just discussed?
(08:11) Well, resilience is universal. It’s not something that leaders have, or they don’t have. So, if a leader is feeling a little fragile or frail, they can know that it’s something that can be developed. We all have the capacity to become more resilient, but to develop that resilience, you must have a willingness to rethink, to have self-compassion and to consider alternatives.
And I think that Donald Winnicott, the psychoanalyst’s gift to us all ‘good enough’ is a wonderful trope to adopt here. This idea that we don’t have to be perfect, that we can do our best to deliver what we need to deliver, and that’s good enough. And so, abandon this notion of perfection or getting everything right, because it’s simply impossible.
7. Do you have any strategies that leaders can follow to build resilience in themselves?
(09:19) I mean, absolutely. This is at the heart of my work, the idea that we do have tools and techniques and ways in which we can build our resilience, and they don’t have to be hugely time-consuming. Just to give you some ideas, let’s think about in terms of mind, body, heart, and soul.
In terms of the way we think, cognitive reframing, choosing to be optimistic, having what Carol Dweck calls ‘a growth mindset’. So, rather than limiting our beliefs and thinking, “I’m not good at that.” Or, “I’m not good in a crisis.” Or, “I’m always the person who makes a mistake.” To begin to readdress your thinking around yourself, that’s one strategy.
If mind and body are inextricably linked, we’re learning more and more about this, but we must take care of ourselves. It’s not a selfish thing to make sure that we have a walk every day, that perhaps we do some breathing exercises or meditation, that we’re making sure that we’re hydrated, that we’ve got a reasonable diet. These are things that people are like, “Oh no, more and more of the same and same.” But it makes so much sense to take care of our physical selves and that helps our resilience enormously.
And in terms of our relationship with others, we really are social creatures, and we need each other. So, connecting to others, even revealing what you’re struggling with, or what you’ve been pleased with. Bonding with authenticity is a very vital way to build resilience. And at the heart of all this, perhaps the soul of the matter is, being connected to some sense of purpose, believing that the sacrifices you’re making, that the work you’re doing is worthwhile because you’re working towards something that matters to you. So, I think there are some headlines strategies that could really help to build resilience.
8. Is there anything else that our listeners can be doing in addition to what we’ve just discussed?
(11:33) I mean, lots. I’ve got about fifty exercises in Bounce Back but let me just perhaps refer to a few other things.
There’s real value in finding a bit of space to talk and express yourself. And if you don’t have a trusted colleague, a coach, a thinking partner, you might want to do some journaling to make sure you’re expressing your progress or worries yourself. That can be extremely cathartic. And in terms of our brain and our neuroplasticity, to know that we do have the capacity to literally rewire our brains, that our brains can change themselves. This is a wonderful development in understanding brain function that teaches us in very practical ways, but simple ways we can rewire the way we think.
So an exercise, at the end of each day, just thinking about three good things that have happened, that we’ve achieved from the smallest thing, to remembering to make that call or to chairing a meeting well, or remembering to go for a walk can actually allow you to build this optimistic and growth mindset. Generally, I think, forgive yourself for your mistakes. Give up on perfection. I, myself, I’m a retired perfectionist, and I can assure you it’s much nicer on the other side. And learning to say no, I think these are all things that can be of additional help.
9. How important is it for leaders to role model these behaviours to support and build resilience in their teams? And do you have any advice that you can share to help our listeners do this more effectively?
(13:33) Yes, I mean, I think it might sound a little counterintuitive for me to stress that leaders showing vulnerability is one of the most powerful things that they can do. Allowing teams to see that everyone finds things that are difficult, even those with knowledge, power and authority, is a very strong message of, “We’re in this together” and that you’re not expected to get everything right.
And gives a strong message that you’re open to listen and learn. You’re not presenting yourself as a perfect example of a leader or somebody in the workplace. So, I think that vulnerability and recognising that, however hard we try, we’re going to make some mistakes at some point is an enormously powerful and valuable thing that a leader can do. And I think that that message is beginning to change, the idea of strong, unbending leadership is really shifting.
10. On this theme of breaking ideas or notions that there is such a thing as a perfect leader and how leaders should be more vulnerable, do you think it can be beneficial for leaders to let their teams experience failure, to make them more resilient? And if so, how can our listeners support their teams in embracing failure and learning from their mistakes?
(15:00) Absolutely Megan, being able to experience failure is our journey to wisdom. It’s only by trying, failing and learning and trying and failing again, that we do get to any sense of conquering our skills and our knowledge and our understanding. And the wise, I think, that are recognising as soon as they’ve learnt something that they know very little, that other people who are on course to become knowledgeable.
So, I think failure can’t be avoided. It’s universal as is adversity. We’re all going to face some difficulty at some time. We’re all going to have challenges, be that loss, health, or relationship rupture. So, failure is something that hits us all, so hiding it can be really damaging. As a leader, pretending that you never have had a failure can be something that is both inauthentic and also leads to people hiding mistakes, to not doing what we refer to as failing fast, recognising that something has gone wrong, learning from it and fixing it, but kind of brushing it under the carpet.
And, as a society, we’ve seen the damage that can be done in terms of the financial crash, and even with the early responses to COVID-19, of not actually acknowledging when things have gone wrong. And I think this very much connects to the point that we discussed around vulnerability. That it’s okay to fail because, frankly, we all do.
11. What do you think are the three qualities that make a good leader? And crucially, do you think that these qualities have changed because of the pandemic?
(17:12) I love that question because it encourages you to really think and crystallise your ideas around leadership. And so, I would say that, at first, communication is vital in any time of leading and guiding a team. But now, I think it’s communication, communication, communication both as a way of containing i.e. allowing people to understand the parameters of what they’re working in and helping people to have clarity about what’s expected of them, what’s going on.
And most importantly, to be able to listen to what people have to say, both in terms of learning and being able to understand and take the temperature of the room, but also to be able to have a sense of the way you’re managing the crisis, seeing how that’s impacting. And I think in terms of how that element of communication impacts now, I think everything is amplified. Every moment of feeling isolated and disconnected is created in a much more amplified way because we are working with home. We don’t have our colleagues around us, we don’t have the prompts that help us to get through the day. So, communication is one.
I think, secondly, self-awareness, and alongside that, self-compassion. So, to not only know who we are as leaders, perhaps recognising that we might be a bit intimidating to some people, or that we have a certain style, or even that we enjoy recruiting people who agree with us, that have the same kind of sense of values and understanding. And being able to recognise that and to be understanding of that can help us to then make changes and understand our patterns of behaviour.
And then finally, and this is something that I think applies to everybody, is that we must be willing to change and adjust. The necessity of change has never been so dramatic as it has in the last year. But I think that that ability to think again, to question our judgments, to be able to have the confidence to say, “I got that wrong, let’s try something else,” is an amazing quality in a leader.
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As the world of work continues to evolve, many professionals are reflecting on what they truly want from their careers, striving to find a sense of meaning and purpose in their everyday working lives.
So today, we’re joined by Shannon Houde, Founder and Managing Director of Walk of Life Coaching, Certified Executive Coach and Author of the book Good Work, which explores how to build a career that makes a difference to the world. Shannon is here today to share her expert advice to help all of us find meaning in our every-day working lives.
1. Please could you introduce yourself to our listeners and give an overview of your career to date?
(01:08) Absolutely. Well, I must admit, it probably took me about 39 years to find my calling myself, and I’ve spent most of my career reinventing myself again and again. I’ve been everything from a corporate recruiter to a management consultant, an accountant, an entrepreneur three times, and a conservationist. And I’ve changed jobs every 18 months until I created my own ideal job with Walk of Life Coaching.
So, I really fit now at the intersection of all the hats I’ve worn across my career, both from a psychology perspective, from a consulting and coaching perspective, and then also from the recruitment and talent agenda.
2. So, you’ve had quite a varied career. Did that lead into your interest in career purpose and to write your book Good Work as well?
(02:00) Yes, absolutely, in creating my own ideal career of running my own business. So, I think I’m an entrepreneur at heart and I’ve always loved writing resumes, helping others, mentoring them, and coaching them through their professional journeys, whether it was being their manager or just as a colleague. And so, I took my experience and my coaching and management background, and merged that up with the issue areas that I had been consulting in for big businesses over the past 20 years, which is around the impact space or sustainability, the environment, charity sector, all of those kind of themes that are in business where we’re making more than just profits but we’re also considering people and planet as well.
3. How have you personally found meaning in your own career?
(02:56) Yes, meaning it’s a great word, I love that word. I think it links a lot to purpose as well and I really can honestly say, I don’t feel like I go to work every day because I love what I do so much. And I think the meaning really, for me, is the motivation is helping others to achieve their own sense of purpose, their own potential, and being able to unlock barriers that we all get to our own personal progress.
So, it’s that kind of an enabler or facilitator role that I get to play so that others can go out into the world then and make a difference for our environment, the planet, and our communities.
4. And in your book, you begin by exploring the concept of impact careers. Could you just explain to our listeners what you mean by this in a little more detail?
(03:51) Yes, it’s kind of an umbrella term now that I’ve started using, because we’ve got lots of different semantics and language that have evolved around this space over the last twenty years. It used to be called corporate social responsibility, then it was called corporate responsibility, it was called sustainable business, sustainability, environmental, now we’re talking resilience. There’s lots of different words that we’re using to mean the same thing in essence, which is really what I talked about more is the triple bottom line, which is a concept that was coined about twenty years ago around businesses focusing and leaders focusing on more than just the profit number, but the economics, the planet, environment, people, and so that being the stakeholders of the communities, so that could also mean employees.
So, we’re looking more holistically at how we lead businesses forward around this triple bottom line approach rather than just the economic, we include the environmental and the social elements to it as well.
5. Why is it so important that we find purpose and meaning in our jobs? And do you think, this need to find meaning has grown because of the pandemic?
(05:07) Absolutely. I mean, the last year through COVID-19, I have seen more than a 200% increase in my business because people have had time to reflect on what’s important to them. We’ve been able to stop, we’ve been able to just slow down and have the time to think and decide what’s important to us without a lot of the external pressures and pace that we were used to having.
And so, there’s been a lot of self-reflection and in that, I think people have woken up to the fact that maybe they’re not so happy in their current roles, that they want to do more than just make a salary, they want to make a difference. So, most of my clients come to me and say, ‘I still need to earn a living. I want a job that I love, but I really want to make a difference’. And that can mean a lot of different things to different people, but ultimately, what I think that means is, having a sense of doing something and giving something back beyond just getting that pay cheque.
And again, I think this links quite nicely to a lot of the neuroscience and a lot of the psychology research around what makes us happy as humans, right? We have our Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and once those are met, what else is there that allows us to really live a balanced, happy and fulfilled life. And I think that is about being able to identify and then live into, achieve and find that purpose and meaning.
Yes, we’re hearing a lot about people using the time during the pandemic to reflect on what they really want, as you said. So, it’s great that there’s places where they can go and get advice and get a bit of guidance on what they can do.
6. Is there anything that you can tell our listeners now on how they can find a sense of purpose in their day-to-day roles?
(07:02) Yes, I usually would start them off with a very simple mapping exercise and it could just be a brainstorm, it could be a mind map, however your mind works to gain insights about yourself. And it’s about being able to map out or list what gets you excited? What issues are you passionate about? What gets you angry? For me, it’s all the plastic that I see at the grocery stores, you know.
So, it depends on what are those issues that you want to make a difference in? What are you willing to invest time, money, and energy into shaping change around? And I think that alignment with those passion areas are basically founded on what are your values.
So, I do a values mapping exercise, and then do an impact issue mapping exercise where we’re identifying those key issues you want to solve. But also, that values alignment must be there in terms of the type of people you’re working with and the type of organisation and the mission of that organisation.
7. What would you say to those that are struggling to find meaning in their current roles?
(08:18) I would say, do some self-reflection. There’s lots of different ways to get at the root of what’s missing. It could be reading some books, it could be, self-help books. It could be mindfulness meditation, taking a walk in the fields or in the mountains, and to try to get some sort of distance from that day-to-day struggle, so that you can get some perspective. It might be a therapist or a coach or reaching out to friends and family, but it’s about doing the groundwork on the reflection around what is important to you. What is meaning? What does it look like if you had it? And then what are some of the steps you can take to try to correct the space that you’re in right now that’s challenging you.
So, that’s what we really do as coaches, it’s very forward-looking to say, where do you want to be? What would that look like? Draw us a picture of that and then let’s address the issues that are the blocks to getting there and start to build out an action plan, for how you can incrementally shift towards getting closer to that meaning.
8. Are there any strategies you can share with our listeners that they can follow to find an organisation that matches their personal values and traits? And how important would you say it is for them to do that?
(09:43) I think it’s crucial. I mean that’s really part of my 13-step programme that I run with job seekers and job changers is a mapping of those personal values and traits very early on, it’s in step three in fact, so we need to be able to understand our own traits because those are basically our approach or our style of working.
So, we need to know that about ourselves first. Where do we thrive and what kind of environment, so that we as an individual and as a contributor, we’re going to feel valued in those roles or in that context of that organisation.
And then the values side of it, I flip it on its head. I say, what are your top five values that are so important to you, you have to be aligned with the organisation, their culture, or the team or the boss that you’re going to be working with? So, the values are almost like a tick list of what you want from the culture and context that you’re going to be working in.
So, if you start to map those out with that lens, it really helps you to have that checklist of things that you need from that organisation. That it’s not always only the candidate trying to prove what they’re offering but the organisation also in their fight for talent, needs to be aligned and proving that they have those solid values and that they’re walking the talk from a leadership perspective.
So, I always say, look at the top down, how are those senior leaders walking the talk of those cultural values that they’re claiming to have in that organisation. And in order to do your due diligence on that, before you accept on the dotted line for a new role, I always say talk to old employees, talk to ex-employees because they’re the ones that are probably going to tell you the real truth about how that organisation or that culture, that team, are really working and how they’re really adhering to those values.
Thank you, that’s helpful. And yes, of course, as a candidate, as a person going for a role, it is important to remember that you’re not the only one that’s being assessed, you are assessing the company as well to see how they fit what you’re after.
9. So, if a person has decided to search for meaning elsewhere, in a new job, for instance, how can they effectively demonstrate their commitment to the employer’s purpose on their CV or during the interview stage perhaps?
(12:11) Yes, I mean identifying what the employer’s purpose is, is the first step, right? Because it’s not always completely obvious. I think often especially in the corporate sector, we see the purpose is usually the bottom line, it’s usually just that profit number isn’t it? Or the shareholder returns. If you’re going for an NGO (non-governmental organisation), it’s probably going to be linked to whatever their mission is, whether that’s a health issue or a medical or conservation.
So, I think just being able to identify the drivers for that organisation, and that will help you to decide and see if there’s alignment around the business model. So again, an NGO is going to be run very differently than a for-profit. So, being able to identify that first, it’s going to be important and then thinking about, well, okay, so which one am I going to actually target for finding a new role because I’m going to be better aligned to that non-profit, for instance, mission or business model versus the more profit driven corporate sector.
Once you’ve made that decision, you can then start to map and to research what it is, in terms of the semantics, that you need to match. How can you really be relevant and resonate for that employer based on the language that they’re using to talk about their brand and their mission. So, when I think about purpose, I almost would translate that word to mean ‘mission’, so that’s what we talked about often in mission-driven organisations, meaning that they’re not just about profit. They’re about more in terms of the triple bottom line. So, you’d want to be able to articulate that both on paper, on the CV, but also during an interview, as to what you’ve done in your past that proves you are aligned to that similar mission.
So, it’s about doing the homework, the groundwork, the research on the people and the brand messaging that the organisation has put out to the market, and then aligning that for your own personal story, and your personal branding that you’re putting out on LinkedIn, CV and the interview, so that your language and semantics are going to resonate and align as well.
10. If you had one piece of advice to help our listeners navigate their careers throughout the pandemic and beyond, what would that be?
(14:38) It would be to believe in yourself, because each one of you listening can make a difference while making a pay cheque, and to make the change that you really want to make. So, if you can roll up your sleeves and commit to the somewhat rigorous process that it will take to make a career change or to make a job change, you can absolutely do it.
I’ve worked with more than a thousand career changers over the past decade who have successfully made big leaps and shifts in their careers and reinvented themselves. So, I know first-hand that it’s possible and I think the first thing is just keeping that positivity, tapping into your own personal resilience in terms of the process because it can take time, and it does require that resilience and bounce back from rejection here and there, but also a creativity that you need in order to reach out to people in your networks, to think about how you’re going to be perceived on paper and verbally, and getting creative about how you’re going to improve that personal brand messaging with a deep-rooted self-confidence.
And I think that self-confidence grows in the process, if you get support in doing it, I think this is a very difficult process to go through on your own behind a computer screen, trying to write a CV or do job applications, or pick up the phone and leverage your personal networks. It’s a lonely and difficult process. So, find a group of colleagues, friends or family or a coach that can really support you through what can be a somewhat long process, keeping in mind, that it is possible.
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