Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

How to find a job: pay attention to emotional intelligence

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Companies are looking for people who are qualified and those who make a direct connection between their skills and what the employer wants. It’s still difficult (although not impossible) to transition to a new field. It’s about demonstrating that you can solve the employer’s problems and that you can “fit” into the company’s culture.

To be successful in a job hunt, you will not only need to demonstrate an association between what the employer wants and your skills and accomplishments, you will need to be able to tell your story in a way that makes it obvious you have the emotional intelligence/emotional quotient (EI/EQ – or soft skills) to get the job done.

A quick definition is in order. Here is one that I like and is easy to understand from Mike Poskey, VP of Zerorisk HR, Inc:

Emotional Intelligence..is defined as a set of competencies demonstrating the ability one has to recognize his or her behaviors, moods and impulses, and to manage them best according to the situation.

The Sodexo (one of the largest food services and facilities management companies in the world) blog reminds readers that “businesses that will succeed in the 21st century will be the ones that allow employees to bring the whole of their intelligence into the work force – their emotional and intellectual self. Not only does this impact morale, but productivity increases, too.” A recent study from Virginia Commonwealth University shows that “high emotional intelligence does have a relationship to strong job performance — in short, emotionally intelligent people make better workers.”
If you are still not convinced that you need to start paying attention to emotional intelligence, my friends over at Talent Culture recently shared information suggesting that “companies are really investing in assessing and developing emotional intelligence to improve the bottom line:”
  • According to Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, for leadership positions, emotional intelligence is more important than cognitive intelligence.
  • At PepsiCo, executives identified as emotionally intelligent generated 10% more productivity and added nearly $4 million in economic value.
  • At Sheraton, an emotional intelligence initiative helped increase the company’s market share by 24%.
  • L’ Oreal realized a $91,370 increase per head for salespeople selected for EQ skills. The group also had 63% less turnover than sales staff not part of the EQ program.
  • Coca-Cola saw division leaders who developed EQ competencies outperform their targets by more than 15%. Division leaders who didn’t develop their EQ missed targets by the same margin.
  • The US Air Force reduced recruiter turnover from 35% annually to 5% annually by selecting candidates high in emotional intelligence. Total cost savings of $3 million per year on a $10,000 investment.
  • Hallmark Communities sales staff who developed emotional intelligence were 25% more productive than their low EQ counterparts and EQ was more important to executive job performance than character, strategic thinking, and focus on results.

(Side note: Be sure to visit Talent Culture’s useful Twitter chat – #TChat on Tuesdays from 8-9 pm Eastern time.)

With all of this research on emotional intelligence, it is time for job seekers to start paying attention. Your job search materials must competently tell your story and illustrate that you not only have the capacity to get the job done (that is, you have the specific skills, training and accomplishments), but that you have the ability to fit in and to bring that talent to the next — emotional — level.

BE the person who is willing to go the extra mile. Show, don’t tell. Maybe that means you hold the door for somebody behind you on the way to the interview. Or, that you let someone take the parking space you both were eyeing. Who knows – you might have been angling your potential new boss out of her space!

Obviously, there’s much more to this than simply being courteous– emotional intelligence is complicated and difficult to pin down, but one aspect is being aware of other peoples’ needs. Look at your network. Do you have one? Are you a connector? Do you try to put people in touch with each other, just for the sake of doing it? If so, you are SHOWING that you care about people – that you are a team player.

What would your boss or colleagues say about you? Do they think only about your competence, or will they comment on your great attitude, how you lead by example and show everyone the same respect? Are you the one who pitches in and stays until the end, or are you running out to handle personal matters? Everything adds up, and how you behave will shape how people see you.

Think about it – do you have the necessary skills to fit in and get the job done? Do you agree that skills such as being able to cooperate and be a team player are crucial for success in the next decade? Stay tuned for more about this topic, including how to improve your EQ and what thought leaders say about the subject!

 

How to use the holidays as a time for self assessment

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reflection.8395783_8dda8afb97_mIt’s so nice to be able to turn to my network of colleagues who are willing to share advice and insights with all of us! In a continuation of my series on job hunting for the holidays, today’s thoughts are from Meghan M. Biro. Meghan is founder of Talent Culture, where she partners with clients, corporations and individuals to ensure a match between hiring needs, brand and culture/personality. I “met” Meghan via Twitter and have had a chance to speak with her several times. I was delighted to have her accept my invitation to join in the chorus of expert opinions regarding how to make the best of the holidays.

These are Meghan’s ideas:

The holidays can be a daunting time to look for a new job or contemplate a career move. Exhortations to be thankful and/or happy may be in conflict with the realities of short money, no prospects and few responses to resumes and inquires.

I agree with my colleagues that it’s not a great idea to suspend a career search during the holidays – many companies are firming up 2010 budgets and it’s still possible to work your way in to a good job.  What can be useful, however, is a quick self-assessment. This task is perfect at the holidays, when we may already be introspective – visits with family and seemingly prosperous friends may have pushed you to examine where you are and where you want to be.

Keep networking, use social media to connect with people in companies you admire and search for places that could use your skills. As you move forward with the standard seeking-a-job tasks, though, give yourself permission to be introspective.

Self-assessment isn’t self-indulgence – it’s a hard look at four factors that can affect your appeal as an employee:

➢    Personality type
➢    Interests
➢    Skills
➢    Values

Personality type defines what is consistent – if you’re an introvert or a leader, if you prefer cooperation or manage conflict well. If you aren’t happy with your personality type, remember that you can adapt in other areas through self-assessment. Take interests. You may be very interested in travel and mildly interested in writing. Now may be the time to begin short-form writing in a career journal, on a blog – even on Twitter. Develop this interest into a marketable skill, and build it into your personal brand.

Skills are things you know how to do well. List all the things you know how to do well, hone those skills and build a story around why they will make you a great employee. [Miriam’s note – take a look at the skills lists HERE to help you get started.]

Personal values may seem to be the least important aspect of a career search, but they, more than anything else, will help you find a business culture where you fit. Use the holidays, a time when it’s safe to think in terms of values, to assess and reconnect with yours. If you value honesty and independence, are outgoing, interested in travel and writing and are skilled at managing people and negotiating compromise, create a narrative that weaves theses attributes into a personal brand. Use the holidays to connect with people who work for companies with cultures that align with your personal brand. From introspection will come inspiration and perhaps new opportunity. Make the holidays work for you with a little self-assessment.

So, do you believe you have a good handle on who you are and what you offer? Share in the comments!

Part 1 – My suggestions and a free ebook offer

Part 2 – Walter Akana – Take care of yourself

Part 3 – Anita Bruzzese – Stay ahead of the crowd

Part 4 – Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter – Unplug and embrace rest

Part 5 – Wendy Enelow – Ideas for employed and unemployed job seekers

Part 6 – GL Hoffman – Use time to research and prepare

I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

photo by djwhelan