Supervision is hard. Developing a coherent supervisory style is even harder. And explaining your supervisory style in an interview? Really, really hard.
On tomorrow’s episode of The Grill, at 11 a.m. ET, John Mayo and I will be discussing how to approach questions about supervision and your supervisory style in a job interview.
As usual, we’ll throw a few typical interview questions on “The Grill,” and discuss:
What an interviewer is really asking (the question within the question–i.e., what they really mean)
How to approach answering the real question
Good ways to answer
Bad ways to answer
And then, hopefully, we’ll take your calls. Call us at 1 (347) 989-0055 to take a stab at answering the questions, and we’ll offer you a live critique and our honest feedback. If you’d prefer, you can also Skype in from the episode page on BlogTalkRadio, by using the Blue “S” click-to-talk button on the page. And whether you listen live or not, we’ll continue the discussions on the Cook Coaching Facebook page, where you can also check out past questions and try your luck at answering those, too. And a few times each day, I add some interesting posts there, and you can discuss any past articles from the website.
Since we did not have a live segment last week, anyone who listened to the previous episode, What Comes Easy and What Comes Hard, will be welcome to call in and give a shot at those questions. I had a few people express interest, and had hope to schedule a follow-up teleconference, but some other business details got in the way this week. So please feel free to call in and answer those questions, too.
Please join us as we throw this week’s questions on The Grill. We’re looking forward to talking to you!
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Please take my reader survey and tell me what you think about Higher Ed Career Coach. It’s 11 questions and shouldn’t take long. Also, SurveyMonkey will be selecting one recipient at the end of June to receive a $25 Amazon gift card. So give your feedback and get a chance to win!
As we come up on the 2 year anniversary of Higher Ed Career Coach, I’ve been working on some changes to increase readership and engagement with existing readers. You’ve probably noticed the Facebook page and discussion boards, and changes in the direction of content, toward practical how-to articles and interview tips, and away from of the more philosophical pieces about higher education and first-person perspectives and reflections. Those won’t go away entirely, but this recent focus has been the result of a couple of things… diving into analytics and seeing what content is getting the most reader response, and asking readers directly what they want to see more of on the site.
The changes are also the result of some ongoing efforts on my part to show my coaching skills and get more business. I’ve been a member for a while now of the Third Tribe Marketing membership site run by CopyBlogger, and I recently joined the Authority Rules conference, to learn how to get more comfortable with marketing by developing ways to market myself authentically.
A big part of this is developing an awareness of how people perceive me and the Higher Ed Career Coach brand. And it’s hard sometimes to separate what you think you’re putting out to the world from how it’s being perceived. So I’m doing a survey during June to find out more about why people visit the site, whether they get what they came for, and what they think about the site and brand.
One person will be selected to receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card once the survey closes on June 30. SurveyMonkey takes care of the selection of the prizewinner and fulfillment. See sweepstakes rules for more details.
In any job, some things come easy, and some come hard. This is definitely true for positions in higher education, even at the entry level, but even moreso as you move up the ladder. This week on the Grill, John Mayo and I will be discussing the right ways and the wrong ways to answer questions in your interview about what you think will come easily in a new position, and what will require a steep learning curve.
This weeks we tackle two thought-provoking and tightly connected questions that ask you to share your thoughts about how your strengths and weaknesses match up to the position you are applying for.
“Given your current level of education, skills and experience:
What part of the position will be easiest for you, and why?
What part of the position will require the steepest learning curve and how will you approach closing the gap?”
The show today is pre-recorded and due to a minor disaster here in Athens (see photo), we will not have the live call-in portion of the show, as a storm blew down a branch onto my house and cars and I am working on cleanup and insurance-claim-related stuff.
The nature of business is changing, as we grow more connected through social media and social networking, and much attention is being paid to how the evolution of communication is changing the everyday realities of work, the power of our relationships, and how we value our time.
While many will readily acknowledge the changing methods of communication, I think that there is also a fundamental shift in the nature of communication, and its role in the broader evolutions of thought and practice in modern society and modern business.
The modern era is marked by the possibility that individuals can do business in highly individualized ways, if they know their networks, the individuals and companies in them, and develop intelligent strategies for leveraging common points of interest. The socially intelligent business leader understands his or her place in the network and can identify points of commonality where ideas and action converge, and where valuable, sustainable and long-lasting relationships can develop.
This requires an evolution of thought, not only in particulars but in process. Linear thinking and 1-to-1 interaction are still relevant skills, but understanding the interdependence of individuals within networks is becoming more critical to success in careers and business.
That’s why I am offering a short course called “Becoming a Socially Intelligent Job Seeker.” In this course, we’ll explore the roles of social intelligence and social network awareness in the job search process, and discuss strategies for expanding your network, your awareness of the people, organizations and companies represented in your network, and your ability to leverage personal and professional connections to move forward in your career.
For more information about this short course, sign up below. I will send you more information as soon as more details become available.
Do job interviews make you feel “dragged over hot coals?”
When preparing for an interview, it’s important to approach every question critically, and read between the lines. In “The Grill,” Higher Ed Career Coach Sean Cook and co-host John Mayo, Jr., Area Coordinator for Traditional Housing at Western New England College, will discuss the “questions behind the questions,” and help job-seekers plan their approach to common questions.
In today’s premiere episode of “the Grill” on the Higher Ed Career Coach show, Sean and John discuss the ever-popular first question: “Tell Me About Yourself.”
As we deconstruct this week’s question, we’ll talk about:
The Question (What they ask.)
What the interviewer really means or wants to know.
Ways that you can answer (that are probably wrong.)
Ways you might answer (that are better)
We’ll also take call-ins from listeners who want to take a stab at this week’s question. If you are still out there looking for your next step, call (347) 989-0055 around 11:30 a.m. Friday and we’ll listen to your answer, give you a critique, and help you refine your approach. Maybe you’ll even get heard by your next employer!
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Work with Sean. I help higher ed professionals take control of their careers with tailored services including resume and CV development, LinkedIn profile optimization and networking strategy, interview coaching, and one-on-one career guidance.
Supervision is hard. Developing a coherent supervisory style is even harder. And explaining your supervisory style in an interview? Really, really hard.
