Too Much Focus on the Future

Negative news will slowly bring you down, eventually draining your energy and leaving you unmotivated.

Try to keep your distance from people who complain a lot and from media that promotes negative news.

Many see failure as proof that our effort meant nothing. But failure is a feedback system and gives you the opportunity to fix things, reflect, and grow for the next time.

When you fail, take a step back, look at the events that led to it, try to find the lesson in the failure and act upon it.

It doesn’t have to be exhaustive. Just a quick outline will help. The point is to have something that guides you.

Do a quick plan on how much time and effort this idea will take, so you can have a bird’s eye view.

Good planning of resources help you plan out your energy and expectations. 

So plan out your time and resources accordingly and integrate them into your schedule/to-do list. Block out time in your calendar for the project. Give yourself some buffer as well, in case of contingencies.

"Tell me about yourself" doesn’t mean “give me your complete history from birth until today.”  It doesn’t even mean “walk me through your work history.” It means “give me a brief overview of who you are as a professional.”

Interviewers who ask this question are generally looking to get a broad overview of how you see yourself, as a sort of introduction or an icebreaker before starting to dive into the specifics. 

• Summarize where you are in your career, note anything distinctive about how you approach your work and end with a bit about what you’re looking for next.
• Your answer only needs to be about 1 minute long.
• Don’t drag yourself. This isn’t the time to explain you were fired from your last job or to confess your difficulties finding the right career path.
• Keep your focus professional, not personal.

It might be a good idea to share something about yourself that is doesn't relate directly to your career. 

For example, interests like running might represent that you are healthy and energetic. Pursuits like being an avid reader might showcase your intellectual leaning. Volunteer work will demonstrate your commitment to the welfare of your community.

This is a simple formula to construct your response.

• Start with a short overview of where you are now (which could include your current job along with a reference to a personal hobby or passion).
• Reference how you got to where you are (you could mention education, or an important experience, internship or volunteer experience).
• Finish by describing a probable goal for the future.

• Spend some time reviewing the job description in the recruitment ad for the position and research the company.
• Prepare a short script that highlights the skills, strengths and expertise you have that make you especially qualified for this particular position. 
• Explain the reasons you’re applying for this particular job. Focus on career-related motivations.

Your purpose to the question "tell me about yourself" is to give just enough details of yourself to spark the interest of the interviewer.

Answering this question gives you a great opportunity to spotlight the skills and experience that make you the ideal candidate for the job.

• Present: Talk a little bit about what your current role is, the scope of it, and possibly a recent achievement.
• Past: Tell the interviewer how you got there and/or mention a past experience that’s relevant to the job and company you’re applying for.
• Future: Continue with what you’re looking to do next and why you’re interested in this job.

Interviewers want to know how your answer about yourself is relevant to the position and company you’re applying for.

This is an opportunity to articulate why you’re interested and how your objective fulfills their goals. In order to do that, spend some time researching the company. If your answers resonate with them, it shows that you really understand the role.

Why the productive conversations in a meeting seemingly go nowhere:

• Participants are most likely immediately running to another meeting where their attention shifts to a new set of issues. 
• Participants leave the meeting without clarity about what was agreed upon.

After and in between meetings, quickly send out clear and concise meeting notes and follow up on the commitments made.

• If you don’t capture the conversation and put it into a form that can be easily retrieved later, the thinking and the agreements can be lost.
• Persistence is a key influence skill. If you want anything to happen, you must follow up.

When people speak, the best responses are both active and constructive: engaged, enthusiastic, curious and has supportive nonverbal action. Ask questions. Be excited. Ask for details. Smile. Touch. Laugh.

It's a powerful technique - it makes you more liked and people more receptive to your requests.

• Unsung Heroes. For each major innovation or movement, there are catalysts that fade into the background of what they create.
• Insubordinates. It's important to triage troublemakers, but in doing so, don't miss an original in your midst.
• Those who have been fired. The ones who do not worry about pleasing others or fitting in.
• Inward-facing innovators. People that even though work privately, create extreme impact.

“Values over rules are key for encouraging originality.”

A resume that stands out has been tailored specifically to each job and company you're pursuing.

If you have a job description, rewrite your resume to ensure you're highlighting the necessary skills and achievements the hiring manager is seeking. Use your keywords to write a story of why you're the best candidate for the job.

Hiring managers want to see that you can make a positive difference. That means you have to do your homework. Consider how the needs of the company intersect with your greatest wins and be prepared to talk about them.

Make it easy for them to understand what you can do for the team.