What makes a successful job application?

For many of the people we work with, this is an elusive question. We hear many stories of people applying for a high volume of jobs, spending lots of time and energy trying to get an interview, and then hearing nothing. Not even an explicit rejection, certainly no feedback.

We talk about having a learning mindset, being curious, being open to feedback. But how can we improve our job applications if we don’t get any feedback?

We work a lot with young professionals who are applying and interviewing for roles. A theme that comes up often in this work is anxiety around the job interview. What do I say? How do I sell myself? What if I don’t get the job?

These are all legitimate questions, often coming out of the pain of being unemployed and looking for work. It’s a common pain -and yet there’s a potentially very easy way to treat it…

Do you ever feel like you’re waiting for something?

According to one recent study, improved internal communication can improve organisational productivity by as much as 25%. So how can we improve our communication skills in the workplace?

What does it mean to truly feel naturally confident?

There is a school of thought that may be roughly defined as “fake it til you make it.” Ignore any signs that what you’re doing isn’t working, push forward with an imagined confidence in what you are doing, and eventually the results you want will come to fruition.

Let’s imagine for a moment that this is an effective strategy: doesn’t it sound exhausting?

If reading this article was going to radically change your life forever - what would it say?

The answer to this question is different for every single person reading it. But the universal truth is that, for the most part, it doesn’t matter what the answer is for each person. What does matter is that each person knows their answer…

One of the most powerful skills we can develop is the ability to notice how we are feeling. Brains and bodies are amazing instruments. They give us data constantly. Being able to receive and interpret this data is a skill, meaning we can grow it over time and harness it.

We’ve talked before about the power of curiosity. It’s a great tool for this skill of interpreting ourselves, too - getting in the habit of asking “How am I feeling? When did that start? What might that mean?”

At some stage in our lives, almost all of us are found asking the question: “How am I going to get a job?”

Whether we’re entering the workforce for the first time, preparing for a job interview or pursuing a career change, it’s a question that comes for us all. And yet, while an understandable one, it’s not the most powerful question that we can ask at that moment…

Responsibility and accountability are two words that appear often when talking about behaviour. The distinction between the two is subtle, and yet understanding both concepts and applying them to our lives can have a transformative impact.

So what is the distinction?

How do we make things better around here?

For many of us, we fall short in pursuit of our goals because we lack a clearly defined end-point. A common example of this is the decision to “get in shape.” What does that actually look like? Does that mean losing weight? Building muscle? Being able to run a 10k? How fast? How often?

Work SMART!…

For many of us, we fall short in pursuit of our goals because we lack a clearly defined end-point. A common example of this is the decision to “get in shape.” What does that actually look like? Does that mean losing weight? Building muscle? Being able to run a 10k? How fast? How often?

Who’s in charge?

Another frame for looking at responsibility is to see it as ownership. Taking or accepting responsibility can give us a sense of ownership, and therefore control or power.

How are you making things better around here?

We recently discussed a framework for mindset called Values - Brilliance - Purpose. Exploring these core principles can have a massive impact on how you are showing up in life every day, and the results that you are getting.

What is it you want to get out of this?

When we talk about employability through the lens of mindset, what we mean is that how you show up in a situation - your perspective, your experience, your energy and your judgements - has a profound effect on the outcome. In the words of Henry Ford: “If you think you can or you think you can’t - you’re right.”

Let’s give it a try, and see what happens

After writing recently about resolutions, I decided to walk the talk, and start thinking about this desire to be a morning person as something I’m already resolute about. With that in mind, how do I take the next step?

“What are you clear about?”

By holding ourselves to the standard of ‘I will immediately become unwavering in this’, we give ourselves no room to fail. So when we inevitably do fail, there’s no coming back from it, and no way to move forward.

“New year, new me”

At this time of year, many of us make resolutions for the future. With a break to take stock, followed by a fresh new year of days stretching out ahead of us, it’s a great time to look at our habits and make changes.

Based on the work of Helen Guinness

With the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, we find ourselves creating Results in order to be right about our Beliefs. It may be that you actually need to fail, or give up on your goals, in order to be right about your Belief that you can’t succeed. But the feeling of being right is a hollow victory.

Based on the work of Helen Guinness

Did you know that 80% of what the voice in your head has to say is negative, or at least contains negative language?

“What’s the most valuable thing I could be doing?”

One good starting place is to investigate the question “What is the most important thing I’m working on, or could be working on?” In other words, what is the most valuable thing you could be doing with your time?