Talk is Cheap, Except in the Phone Interview

Talk is Cheap, Except in the Phone InterviewThe Phone InterviewTalk is Cheap, Except in the Phone InterviewIn the geschftlicher umgang world, when someone questions whether a colleague can walk the walk or just talk the talk, its usually the walking thats considered more important. But when it comes to the job search, sometimes talking the talk is the critical element.Think of the phone interview. In many cases, this is the first and quite possibly last chance to market yourself for a position, and if all goes well, it serves as a steppingstone to better things. The downside is that you have only your voice to convince the interviewer youre a worthy candidate. The upside? If you come across well over the phone, you may win an in-person interview.Many employers will use phone interviews, also known as phone screens, when they have a large group of qualified applicants for a position and want to winnow it to a more manageable number say three or four whom they would like to meet in per son.On that note, there are three important things to remember about a phone interview1. Be prepared. Always schedule the interview in advance so you can prepare for it, rather than answer a few questions on the spot. Aim for a date and time (even later the same day) when you will have the fewest distractions, and take the call in a distributionspolitik where you know you wont be interrupted. If youll be taking the call on your cell phone, find a spot with the best possible reception.As you would for an in-person interview, research the organization beforehand. Navigate their web site, do a web search on their issues and those in the industry. Jot down questions you would like to ask. Also, review the copy of your resume and cover letter you sent, and match up your skills and qualifications with what you believe to be their needs, so you can sell them on what they would gain by hiring you.2. Be clear and direct. Rehearse the points you believe youll be emphasizing, and make sure to deliver them clearly and without ambiguity. For instanceI have a strong track record of sales experience with computer hardware over the last five years. You have a strong product, and Im confident that my experience can help boost your revenue quickly and raise your rankings among the five players in this market.Even though its a phone interview, you can use your body to your advantage. Walk around the room if you feel it helps you emphasize important points you want to make.3. Be sure the interviewer understands you. After each key point you make, ask the interviewer if what you said was clear. A simple question Is there anything youd like me to add regarding that issue? or, I understand I covered a lot in my answer, is there anything youd like me to review? communicates a sense of thoroughness to the interviewer and lessens the chance that you would not be giving your full story before they decide if they want to meet with you.

How to set life goals when you dont even know where to start

How to platzdeckchen life goals when you dont even know where to departureHow to set life goals when you dont even know where to startWhen beginning a large project or complex task, the problems youll run into arent always apparent.This can be an issue, because lack of clarity often leads to an unproductive response. We often rush into implementing new solutions before thinking about whether were even solving the right problem.On the other hand, its possible to get so wrapped up in trying to understand the problem that you never begin working on solutions.The trick is You want to get a sense of the actual problem, but you also need to take measurable and readily quantifiable steps to keep yourself from getting bogged down.Over the past few years, I experienced this first hand while trying to bring a TEDx event to the auditorium in the AstraZeneca building- where our company, Morphic Therapeutic, is headquartered. Our application welches rejected three times over the course of two and a half years.We initially had no idea where to start.But by continuing to take steps in the right direction and building on what wed done before, we were eventually able to book the event.Heres howTurn ambiguity into concrete stepsMany people jump into a solution before taking the time to understand the problem. This is a common pitfall amongst even the most seasoned leaders. But you have to come to terms with what needs to be done before you can take steps to address it.First, we had to decide if we really wanted to hold a TEDx event. Speaker sessions are nothing new to this group- weve held hundreds of them over the years. This led us to question whether we really needed to hold an event with the TEDx brand, or if we could instead set up a speaking engagement on our own and call it something else.We had to decide if we wanted to hold a mora informative, academic event, or if we wanted the speakers to be more entertaining, more typical of a TEDx talk. We asked ourselves What do we want people to feel when they leave the auditorium?Ultimately we found that what TED created is special and meaningful, and its not something you can easily create on your own.Once we clearly established this as our goal, we were able to start taking steps to accomplish it.You might not understand the problem fully until you have some solutionsThe problem doesnt always crystalize when you start working on it. Sometimes its only apparent once the work has already begun. This is where an iterative approach becomes so important, because youll need more context to identify what the problem is and how you can address it.The only way to get that context is by taking a step, assessing the outcome, and then moving forward with the new information in mind. Its about making educated assumptions based on what you know, and then testing those assumptions to see how they hold up.Our initial step for booking the TEDx talk was to do some research. We spoke with people in the Boston area who had o rganized these events before in order to better understand what was involved. After talking with them, we believed the process would be pretty straightforward. We figured we simply had to apply, and our application would be accepted.Operating on this assumption, we spent very little effort on our initial application- maybe 10 minutes of work.We were rejected almost immediately.Youll learn from each step you take, even the misstepsOur initial assumption was faulty. While it wasnt pleasant being rejected, testing our assumption taught us some things we used in our second application.That one was also rejected. And the one after that.But each time, we increased the effort we put into the application. First, we broadened the appeal of the speakers and topics to make them more compelling. A large group of scientists will naturally gravitate towards scientific topics, but thats not what TEDx is all about. It has to be broader, about ideas instead of industry-focused topics.We began weavin g a storyline into the whole event. We assembled an advisory board of people who had been to the main TED talk and had experience organizing TEDx events. And we even turned our thought process on its head. Why would TEDx want to extend their brand to us? What were we bringing to the table?On our fourth application, we were finally accepted.Sure, it would have been great to have been accepted on our first try, but this wasnt a process we had experience with. So we set a big, amorphous goal and chipped away at it step-by-step. Several solutions didnt work, but each one led us closer to the real problem we needed to solve.In 1991, my commencement speaker at MIT had a message that stuck with me Keep moving.He was telling this to the line of shuffling graduates, but his true message was much more profound. He was saying that action itself is what motivates. You learn from action, and so you have to keep moving.Getting good at this process pays off.You can use it for anything you want. Wh ether youre planning a destination wedding or building a startup, its all about turning ambiguous goals into concrete steps. Testing assumptions and adjusting your plans based on the outcome.Its a template for getting things done and delivering tangible results when you have no idea where to start. You just have to start at the beginning and keep moving.This post was originally published on Quora.com.

7 storytelling structures to improve your presentation

7 storytelling structures to improve your presentation7 storytelling structures to improve your presentationIn his bookThe Seven Basic Plots Why We Tell Stories, Christopher Booker states that everything ever written boils down to seven basic plots. Using these story frames, you can share your life experiences to inspire your coworkers and bring your presentations to life.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreCourtesy of QuickQuidThis article first appeared on Quickquid.co .