Preferences
I recently passed the one-year anniversary that I purchased a smartphone for my wife and myself. While a couple getting smartphones is no big deal, and frankly would have many saying, “What took you so long?” or something very similar, it got me to thinking about the ways of life.
I must admit, I am not one who changes my ways very quickly or easily. Particularly if I am comfortable with the way I do something, and it is successful for me and works for me, I will be doing it the way I have always done it until frankly, it is either no longer able to be done that way, or becomes very difficult to do the way I have been doing it. Actually, go to the bank, and do transactions at the teller window? Yes, I still do that. Pay the majority of my bills by writing out checks, and then mailing letters at the local mailbox or post office. Yes, I do that too, (although a few more payments have been done online either because for that particular payment it was introduced to me that way, or the potential of a payment getting lost in the mail, provided me the electronic payment as a backup).
We all have our preferences on how we do and choose the things we do. I was thinking about this recently, as I was contemplating the work that I do with the job searchers with whom I work. One of the earliest steps I look to focus them on is the step of Self-Assessment. This takes in a number of aspects as they examine themself and their past. What are skills they have not only used in job roles but thrived with, in those roles? Were those skills apparent, even before they started to work? Are there compliments and encouraging words they receive from others about how good they are at doing particular tasks or activities?
However, assessment is more than just examining skills. What do they list as some of the top accomplishments in their work or personal life? What was the challenge they faced? What were the actions they took that helped them to successfully accomplish what either they wanted to accomplish or for the group our organization for which they did the activity? Additionally, I’ll ask them to give thought about the work environment itself. Were they heavily involved working with others, or did they do most tasks alone? Are they one that prefers getting instruction from others on what is to be done, and then getting right to it, or do they prefer working in collaboration with other team members? Answers to these and other questions like them, help my job search clients down the path of the research they need to do, the people they need to speak to, and the identifying of possible organizations that may need their talents.
I caution those that work with me though, that preferences can work both ways. Employers who may need their talents will have their choices on just what skills they may feel are mandatory for a job role, and which ones may only be desired. Some hiring organizations will value degrees and certifications, while others put additional value on actual “on the job” experience. Organizations may have structures and rules which say the person doing the job role must do it a certain way or certain work environment. The job search process, and the match of job searcher to those companies needing their skill sets, is really a microcosm of everyday life, and how it is lived.
Whether you are like me who tends to have a large comfort zone and can hang on doing things the way they have done them for years at a time, or whether you are one to want to implement the latest methods into your life constantly, remember we all have our preferences on how we like to do things. That in itself is not an issue or problem, just as long as one does not try to force their preferences on another as the way that something MUST BE DONE.
