Posted under Branding, Career Management, Career Planning, Interviewing, Job Search on October 27th, 2008
As a career professional and a political aficionado, I’ve been carrying this post around in my head for quite awhile; time to put these thoughts out-there for your consideration… I’m intrigued by the lessons we can learn from this election – the “national interview”that the voters and media are conducting with John McCain and Barack Obama.
If related experience and traditional credentials could win the job, John McCain should be in a better position two weeks prior to Election Day. Instead it is Obama, with training as a lawyer, and limited and varied experience as a community organizer, teacher, and legislator who is most likely to be offered the job. How has that happened? Why has someone who lacks compelling experience in the 3 major areas of traditional work (business/industry, military, government) been able to win the confidence of millions of potential voters? Why has experience not sealed the deal?
I think the answer lies outside the box – in the transferable skills and personal qualities that are the elephant in the interview. This is not a new paradigm: see the article in the Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer by Berkley Law Professor, John Yoo. The professor reviewed the “application” and “performance” of our Presidents and concluded that while Washington can be credited with the birth of the nation, it is Lincoln who saved it. See his review of Lincoln’s qualifications for the job he performed so convincingly:
An insurgent party ran a young lawyer from Illinois for president. With only a few years of experience as a congressman, he had bested the giants of his party for the nomination. In the general election, he defeated a lion of the Senate who had spent the last decade brokering compromises over the most difficult questions facing the nation.
Too many candidates conduct their job search campaigns in the McCain model: they believe they should respond to the explicit requirements of the job, e.g. 25 years in Senate; military service; and a conservative centrist philosophy in-keeping with that of most Americans.
The campaign has offered a type of behavioral interview question or case study: the financial crisis. How did each candidate respond to this question? Obama’s response to that question was more modulated; more reserved; perhaps more inclusive of the opinions of others.M
The polls suggest that his strategy of intuiting the personal qualities needed to meet the job requirements is likely to pay off. Obama’s presentation reflects his analysis of what interviewers are looking for – beyond the stated requirements or credentials.
Let’s relate this thesis to the situation faced by a recent business school graduate. Here’s a posted job requirement: 3-5 years brand management experience in a consumer products environment. Suppose you are a candidate with 2-3 years experience as a blogger for a professional association? What are the transferable skills that you gained as a result of this paid or unpaid experience? What are the personal qualities that you can claim as a result of your successful contribution to the exponential growth of the association-its growth in membership, recognition in its space, increased revenue, etc?
- A blogger must design communication that specifically supports a brand, in this case, the niche carved-out by a professional association.
- Your experience required a great deal of collaboration between staff, current members, and the public, including potential members. You’ve come to understand the perspective of these disparate groups and understand what they need from the association, the brand called…
- You have an impressive portfolio of Web 2.0 and traditional marketing pieces that have been targeted to a niche market. You have conducted competitive analysis in the association’s space. Again, this directly transferable to brand management.
- You cultivated relationships with association members who work for consumer products companies; they know you, respect you, and will advocate for you.
So, do you get the interview? If so, can you win the job? Invoke the lessons of the national interview. For more on this topic, listen to Blogtalkradio.com on October 30, 2008 – Noon – <http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jibberjobber> The podcast will be available for download later…
Posted by Karen P. Katz, Career Acceleration Network, (CAN), LLC <www.CareerAcceleration.net>
similar post appeared on <http://CareerAcceleration.typepad.com>
Print This Post