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Tech, Toys and the Risks and Benefits of Introducing "New and Shiny" Into a Job Search Ecosystem

by | Jun 7, 2011 | Interview Tips, Job Search

invasiveipad

Showing yourself to be technologically savvy and forward-facing are incredibly important in today’s job market, so it’s no surprise that job-seekers find themselves exploring the best ways to highlight their tech skills and comfort with technology. But there are potential downsides to bringing along “new and shiny” as you enter into a search process. This week, as we continue our exploration into interview ecology, we’ll explore the risks and benefits of introducing different variables into the job-search ecosystem and hopefully, help you make some intelligent choices about how you integrate these different variables into your search strategy.

The Risks of Bringing “New and Shiny” into a Search Process

I recently traded tweets with a job-seeker who was worried about whether bringing his iPad to an interview might seem pretentious to the interviewers. We had a great and wide-ranging exchange about the pros and cons of doing so, and this conversation kind of converged with another recent one with a client and my interests in person-environment theory and the environment, and resulted in this series of posts.

The Delicate Ecosystem of the Everyday Interview

Let’s return to some basics of this proposed “interview ecology” framework:

  • If the hiring process is considered as an ecosystem, what are the naturally occurring parts of that system? Some possibilities:
  • New variables, before entering into the ecosystem, are assumed to be neutral, and to pose no inherent impact on the environment.
  • Once a new variable is introduced into an ecosystem, whether it is beneficial or invasive/destructive is determined by the nature of its interactions with the natural environment, and the impacts on other aspects of the ecosystem (people, places, resources)
  • Variables that create harmony, or synergy and are seen as potentially compatible with sustainable growth and balance are deemed to be beneficial.
  • Variables that create anxiety or dissonance are seen as incompatible and said to be invasive or destructive.

The Impact of New Variables

Since conversation is the primary form of interaction in an interview, the impacts of new variables on the quality and sustainability of the conversation, and in the formation of assumptions about person-environment fit that derive from that conversation, need to be our main concern and point of discussion in an interview ecology model.

Ultimately, decisions about whether to bring a iPad (or any new tech) into an interview should be weighed against the possibility that it might upset the ecosystem of the interview and distract from the conversation.

Risks to consider:

  • Being seen as inattentive (if your attention to the tech causes the interviewers to think you are bored, then you could come across as elitist or pompous, and this will kill your interview)
  • Being seen as a someone who might not relate with the students you’ll be serving (if you are a “have” and your students are more likely to be “have nots,” will you be seen as an outsider?)
  • Being seen as more interested in technology than people (i.e., your interests aren’t a good match for their needs)

Perceived benefits:

  • An ability to take notes without using paper. (Seems pretty basic when you put it that way, doesn’t it?)
  • Being seen as innovative and comfortable with technology (The assumption being that you will bring innovation and a tech-friendly sensibility to the position and department.)
  • Showing your interest in sustainability (Giving the impression that you will wisely steward resources and consider the impacts of your actions on the work environment.)
  • Creating an impression that you are forward-looking and oriented toward progress and development. (Showing that you have a drive to achieve through innovation.)

Weighing the Benefits Against the Risks

Benefit Risk
Being seen as innovative Being seen as inattentive or bored
Showing an interest in sustainability
Being seen as uninterested in the people or environment that in the system, only interested in resources
Showing an interest in progress Showing a lack of interest in people or the realities of the particular organizational culture

Other Options

So to mitigate any of these risks and the potentially negative impressions that might come with them, what are some other options?

  • Leave the iPad behind (no distractions)
  • Bring the iPad but don’t use it (not as distracting, in relation to attention on your part, and still sends out techie signals, but could still be interpreted in ways that imply inability to relate or interest in other things.)
  • Bring the iPad but only use it for the Q & A portion of the interview (your questions would be there) or any presentation you need to do, and/or for you to use during breaks.

So it really does come down to mitigation of risks and the benefits against the potential costs. In this case, would the benefits (taking notes and seeming tech-friendly and interested in sustainability–which might not be directly related to the job–and the risks all come down to “fit,” with the downside being that you don’t get the job because of a distraction unrelated to your qualifications and how you presented them.

Given this perspective, what do you think you would do?

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What Do YOU Value?

by | Apr 21, 2010 | Career Skills, Job Search, life purpose

piggybank and change

If money is all you love, then that is what you shall receive*

In this article, contributor Mickey Fitch takes readers on a values Q & A that they can apply in their own job searches, as well as personal lives.

When I was in college, at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, I was both a hall government representative as well as a community advisor. As part of the training and development for these roles, we attended a retreat at a local camp.  Our supervising hall director would hold a “values auction,” where we would bid against our fellow staff for different values such as honesty, clear communication, competition, and difference.  These auctions were interesting to me then, but what is fascinating to me now, as a student affairs professional, is this:  The items I won at these auctions are now traits that I consider to be my strengths!

During a job search, it’s tempting to let your values take a back seat to getting the “right” job. It’s easy to spend more time looking at the duties listed in the job posting than looking at what isn’t found there: benefits, values, and institutional culture.  Day in and day out, the overall picture of the position is what keeps us happy, motivated, and contributing to the success of our university, and to ourselves as people. Our job descriptions are not our life descriptions, people!

So, let me offer a few thoughts about values:

1)   Your values define you as a person. Like character traits, they don’t change from job to job, or university to university.

2)   While professionals talk a lot about values, it’s usually in the context of training, evaluation, or discussing problems we are having at work/with the job.

3)   On the other hand, we often try to teach values to our students, or to get them to examine their own.

Does anyone else see the irony here? We are teaching and preaching, but don’t necessarily walk our own walk!

Since many of our readers are currently in job searches, I thought it would be appropriate to share the following  series of questions to ask yourself, during your career exploration. (Although these topics aren’t as two-sided as I will present them, take the continuum into account as you think about them).

Do you value…

  • Competition, or collaboration with peers/other colleagues?
  • Regular, casual feedback, or formal evaluations?
  • Individual/director decision-making, or team decision-making?
  • Working alone everyday, or working with many others?
  • Clear, written expectations and goals, or a general direction?
  • Electronic primary communication, or non-electronic communication?
  • Hands-on supervision, or hands-off supervision?
  • Chains of approval, or immediate decision-making?
  • Similar age/experience/education peers, or a variety of backgrounds represented?
  • Clear, honest, direct communication with peers/supervisors, or passive, indirect communication?

To be more specific to our field, do you prefer…

  • Structured learning communities, or general education programs?
  • Supervision of several buildings/programs/operations, or  supervision of one?
  • Department-funded programming, or student activity fee-funded programming?
  • National greek chapter affiliation, or local/university greek chapters?
  • Traditional two-bed housing, or a variety of housing options?
  • Being on call 24/7 or the opportunity to unplug from work each day?
  • Departments as “silos,” or  constant collaboration across campus?

What matters most to you, personally?:

  • Living in a city, the country or the suburbs?
  • Do you  need full medical coverage, or is partial coverage acceptable?
  • Full institution/employee contribution to a retirement plan vs. little/no investment
  • Is proximity to an airport a major consideration?
  • Finding employment in town for a partner? (Or is it okay if your partner must travel/stay behind?)
  • Nearby opportunities for outdoor recreation? (Or are you willing to travel for outdoor recreation?)
  • Would you prefer a position with a large salary, but few soft benefits, or a smaller salary with many soft benefits?
  • How close do you need to be to members of your personal support network?
  • What access do you need to shopping? (How far are you willing to travel to shop for things you need?)
  • Will you have opportunities in the community to meet a potential partner in town, or will you have to travel? (If travel is necessary, are you willing to travel?)
  • If you identify as an underrepresented person, do you need a community within your town or is it okay for you to travel to the nearest city to find other members of your community? (You can replace ‘community’ with food needs, personal needs, worship needs, cultural needs, etc., as well.)

Doing an internal audit of yourself and your own values is essential. I encourage you to have conversations like these with your peers, your teammates, and supervisors.  And for those in relationships, have this conversation to see what values brought you and your partner together.  For me, knowing my values is like knowing how to read a compass…they help guide and steer me not only when conditions are rough, but also when the sun in shining!

Have a question about values, or want to chat more with me about it?  Please leave a comment!

Mickey Fitch is a higher education professional who has crafted her career around the residence life experience on the college campus.  Mickey loves to tell stories and help students make the most of their residential experience on campus.  A native to the upper Midwest, Mickey is currently undergoing a job search to find her opportunity to serve in residence life.  On the personal side, Mickey is an avid fisherman and outdoorswoman and is currently engaged in a life-changing health and fitness journey!  You can learn more about her at mickeyfitch.weebly.com.

*Caption is a quote from Star Wars (the first of the real ones.) Princess Leia says it to Han Solo, as he collects his reward to take back to Jabba the Hutt.