Posted under Career Management, Career Planning, Job Search on August 24th, 2008
Recently, I was reminded of the power of assumptions. Making assumptions is a natural part of our everyday life. We expect certain things to go the way we have experienced them before. Assumptions also help us navigate daily situations – when you drive down a crossroad, you assume that other drivers will stop when they have a red light. Or, when you order something from a store, you assume that you will indeed receive your package. Those types of things.
But we’ve all experienced misunderstandings with other people based on inaccurate assumptions. You assumed the other person wasn’t interested in talking to you when she didn’t call you back for several days. Or your partner assumed you were making fun of him in a hurtful way when you were merely teasing him about one of his quirky habits.
In short: there is ample room for misinterpretation of communication. Worse, incorrect assumptions can lead to misjudgments. How many times have you made up your mind about someone only to find out later that you were totally off?
The problem with assumptions is that – most of the time – we are not aware we’re making them. Our brains are wired to fill in missing pieces of information and rationalize things it doesn’t understand.
So the situation that got me thinking about assumptions was when – of all things – I switched my cable package. For years I’d had the basic package that cost me about $20 a month. Although I liked the idea of being able to zap between more than some 160 TV stations, the $60 price tag that came with it wasn’t worth it to me.
After several years with the $20-cable package, assuming I had the best deal out there – while missing out on the wonders of orangutan procreation and other phenomena of the animal kingdom, 24/7 world news, and a host of reality series, I coincidentally found out my assumptions were incorrect. I was looking to bundle my Internet, cable, and phone services and when I spoke to the phone company, I learnt that I could have the exact same services, but with the addition of the round the clock TV excitement for $30 a month LESS than I was paying at that time!
In my practice, I encounter many job seekers who talk about wanting to change fields or jobs but are held back by trepidations. When I ask them about their hesitation, it often becomes clear that their reservations are simply assumptions, or what they call “limiting beliefs” and are not based on solid research or fact.
You may think that entry into a certain field requires experience you’re lacking. But do you know this for a fact? Job seekers often belief that the job market is too tight or the competition too stiff to accommodate the change they’re trying to make. But they haven’t even tried. Or they tried, but they used ineffective strategies – often without being aware that they’re setting themselves up for failure.
So what can you do to ensure you are not holding yourself back based on these limiting beliefs?
Most importantly: Perform research and talk to people in the field. The Internet is a great place to start, but don’t forget about the library where they have knowledgeable people working who are eager to help you find the information you’re looking for.
Don Orlando gives an excellent example of the importance of seeking out field knowledge in his latest blog. And don’t just speak to one person – speak to several: People currently performing the function you are interested in, someone with experience in recruiting and/or hiring for this type of position, and others that will be able to shed an insider’s view on your field of interest.
Moral of this story: Not only does it pay to challenge your beliefs, it is important to keep doing so over time. Information and “facts” change. What at one time used to be a “must-have” or a prerequisite, or a condition dictated by the economy can very well change later on. Keep talking to people and you might be surprised what you find out!
Posted by Ilona Vanderwoude
Print This Post