A lot of people believe that an employer’s decision on hiring a candidate depends on just skills and experience. Well they couldn’t be farther from the truth because that is false.
Here is the truth…
Skills and experience within your profession aren’t what gets candidates the job. The truth is that there are too many candidates with the proper skills and experience to get the job, and ONLY one usually gets the job.
Companies are looking for more than skills and experience these days. So it’s extremely important that you all your individual characteristics mirror your passion.
So what are the other factors that are usually invisible to candidates?
**Self-Awareness** – who are you and where are you going? What are your plans for the present and the future? How do you know what you want? How do you know that you’re right for this job? Employers want to make sure that you’re not lost.
**Learning Skills** – Are you willing to learn? Are you current on trends and technology? Are you a person who loves to “grow” within their profession? You want to show an employer that you’re a candidate that learns in order to progress your career.
**Adaptability** – With everything changing so rapidly today, it’s possible that tomorrow your skills may no longer be relevant. Are you a person who adapts well to change?
**Character** – Do you show passion in your industry, because when you do, it projects through your résumé, cover letter, and especially during the interview. An employer wants a dependable trustworthy employee. The more you project your positive character, the better!
You can have a huge advantage over your competition by going one step. Create a career portfolio and within it make sure that you showcase all the categories above in the proper manner. I guarantee that this will give you a major edge over your competition.
So you see that it’s not all about skills and experience. It’s really important that you consider the factors above, because them alone can get you the job
Reading through a writer’s notebook or journal is like discovering pearls, rubies and diamonds amidst a pile of rubble.
That little notebook is a powerhouse of ideas for every writer: The more you write down bits and pieces of your thoughts and observations, the more you are adding into the well of ideas for future works.
Here are a few things you can record in your notebook or journal, so that in case you run out of ideas to write about, you can refer to it:
Your Shoeboxed Life: Write what you know, feel and experience. Jot down snippets of events in your life. Write a sentence or a paragraph about a funny, embarrassing, happy or infuriating experience.
The Interesting People. Scribble descriptions of people you meet every day. How do they react in certain situations? How do their names fit their image?
A Word a Day. Whenever an interesting word catches your attention, write it down. It may have a different meaning for you a month or a year from now. If you keep a list of words in your notebook, these words can serve as story starters for you.
Those Quotable Quotes. A meaningful quote can start you off to writing. Collect quotes you come across that interest you.
Ordinary People with their One-Liners. Overheard lines in a conversation can sometimes spark your creative mind. Write down these one-liners in your notebook. They can be great story starters.
Something You Read. Read good books. Keep a file of memorable lines or quotes. Write down quirky billboard ads. Scan the papers for one-liners. These are good idea stimulators.
Emotions. Describe what you feel at any given moment. If you feel angry right now, write what your anger feels like. Descriibe it. Use vivid words.
Writers are similar to store owners. Store owners stock their supplies in their shelves, while you stock ideas between the pages of your little writer’s notebook.
You can make your stock endless, bottomless. You can reach down again and again for inspiration without exhausting your notebook of reserve.
So start stocking your writer’s notebook today. A week from now, take a peek in it and you just might find something there that could connect your pen to paper.
Copyright (c) 2003-2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ