PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ETHICS (THC6) - FINALS

Chapter 5  (b.2) Stages of Career Development

TECHNIQUES IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PHASE
RATIONALE
 It is important to come up with your career planning as it
gives you the much needed direction and makes it clear
there where you see yourself in future. It makes you aware
of your strength and weaknesses and the skills and
knowledge that are required to achieve your goals in
future.
PLANNING FOR YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT
(a) Developing Career Expectations
 Accept Reality – jobs today are changing and getting more
limited, where education is a requirement, and job security
has disappeared with the birth of the manpower agencies.
(b) Plan Career Early
 (b.1) Concepts of Career Development - Career
development theories help us appreciate our experiences.
A theory is, in effect, a rationalized set of assumptions or
hypotheses that allow you to explain the past and predict
the future.
TOP 4 THEORIES ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT
1. Parson’s Theory – Frank Parsons is regarded as the
founder of the vocational guidance movement. He
developed the theory of matching careers to talents, skills
and personality. Parson noted that the people perform
best when they are in jobs suited to their abilities and
developed the talent-matching approach
2. Holland’s Theory – according to John Holland’s Theory of
Career Choice, careers are established by the interaction
between our personality and environment. Something like,
we want to work in jobs with people like us. Holland
believes that in choosing a career, people prefer jobs
where they can be around others who are like them. They
look for work that will let them apply their skills and
abilities, and express their attitudes and values, while
taking on enjoyable problems and roles.
 1st: Evaluation Self – this is to have a clear
picture of your unique talents, interest, values
and skills which will be the foundation of your
career-planning journey.
 2nd Exploring Options – when you are ready
have a clear idea of your interests, current skills
and the things you value, you can now start
looking at options.
 3rd Making Decisions – when you have explore
your options, the nest step is narrowing down
your choices of work and / or training
opportunities on which you would like to
concentrate on.
 4th Setting Goals – once you have identified your
career path, you will now classify the steps you
need to take to move towards your goal. Make
an action plan and chart your course.
 5th Implementing Your Plan – start the ball
rolling. Be aware you may have to make changes
to keep yourself on track.
Organizing Life Goals
 Goal setting usually involves short-term and long-term
goals. A short-term goal is one that can be accomplished in
a short amount of time. The key characteristic of a short-
term career planning is developing realistic goals and
objectives that you can accomplish in the near future. As
you begin your career planning, take the time to free
yourself from all career barriers.
 *Long-term goal career planning usually involves a
development window of five years or longer and involves a
wider set of preparation.
When you set goals, make sure they are SMART:
1. Smart
2. Measurable
3. Attainable
4. Relevant
5. Time-bound
ORGANIZING LEADERSHIP ABILITIES

Holland’s theory is focused on the belief that most people belong (a) Steps in Becoming a Leader - A lot of people will agree that
to one of six personality types: RIASEC being a leader is not given to all. But don’t you know that you can
also be a competitive leader if you have the proper perspective and
1. realistic model.
2. investigative
3. artistic Five Core Competencies
4. social  Know thyself
5. enterprising  Develop a model of leadership you can strive to
6. conventional achieve
 Learn from everything
3. Super’s Theory – Donald Super introduced the concept  Create a feedback-rich environment
that developing a sense of self and realizing that an  Find a mentor
individual change over time, is important when planning
one’s career. One of Donald Super’s biggest contributions (b) Leadership Factors
to career development in his emphasis on the value of the
 Consideration
development of self-concept.
 Structure
4. Krumboltz’s Theory – John Krumboltz’s theory states that
 Production emphasis
OK to not always the plan, because unplanned events can
lead to good careers. This is an optimistic outlook can help  Sensitivity
turn destiny into opportunity. John Krumboltz developed (c) Leadership Styles
ideas about backing up in decisions in his clients. He said
that indecision is desirable and sensible, as it allows the 1. Dominating leader
prospect for clients to benefit from unplanned occasions. 2. Negotiating leader
This theory is called planned happenstance. 3. Persuading leader
4. Modelling leader
5. Empowering leader

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 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ETHICS (THC6) - FINALS
(d) Characteristics of a Leader
1. Leaders enlist the support of others
2. Leaders walk their talk
3. Leaders put their people first
4. Leaders leverage their resources
5. Leaders know their followers
6. Leaders lead
CHAPTER 6
Techniques in Professional Development Phase II
RATIONALE
 Human are different in not only appearance, but also the
moral qualities, intellectual, personality, and psychological.
Awareness of individual differences between people,
whether children or adults as old as the creation of man,
since man first, when they lived in caves or forests, were
fully aware of each other's different and have different
reactions they showed. The major causes of individual
differences are in a variety of mental processes, talent,
creativity, personality, motivation, gender and cultural
environment-social. Human are different in personality,
family context and cultural field. These differences are due
to different processes and have different characteristics,
mental processes and behavior that affect makes people
have different intellectual personalities. Accept individual
differences in growth patterns of psycho – social, causes
everyone fits his personality, thinking styles and his
behavior with expected conditions.
Factors Affecting Intelligent Behavior
 Hence, interpersonal relationships are important for your
overall physical and emotional happiness. Relationships
help fight loneliness while also giving you a sense of
purpose in life.
 All interpersonal relationships are built on loyalty, support,
and trust. Close relationships may also be built on love.
Mutual respect and reciprocation of these qualities is
important in maintaining all your relationships. Otherwise,
the relationship can become one-sided.
 On the other hand, intellectual growth is all about
learning. It is about how individuals organize their minds,
ideas and thoughts to make sense of the world they live in.
The area of intellectual development is: Language
development – helps us to organize thoughts and make
sense of the world around us. What are inherited abilities.
(A) INTELLECTUAL ATTRIBUTES OF PERSONALITY
Types of Intelligence - The research carried out identifies the
existence of areas in the human brain that correspond to certain
spaces of knowledge, all of which are distinct and relatively
independent of each other. Here are the eight types of intelligence
explained one by one.
1. Logical-mathematical intelligence - Their problem-solving
ability is very striking and is often related to a type of non-
verbal intelligence, i.e. they can know the answer to a
certain problem long before they verbalize it. Children with
this type of intelligence are good at solving mysteries or
brain teasers, doing puzzles, logic exercises, counting or
doing calculations, computer problems and playing
strategy games.
2. Linguistic intelligence - Children with this type of
intelligence are skilled and have preferences for activities
such as reading, talking, telling stories and jokes, writing
poems, learning languages and playing word games.
3. Spatial Intelligence - This type of intelligence shows
patterns that prove the kid’s capacity to think in three
dimensions. People who develop spatial intelligence are
good at solving spatial problems such as drawing and
painting, reading maps, looking at pictures, solving mazes,
or playing construction games.
4. Musical Intelligence - It is typical of children with an innate
ability to learn different sounds, which translates into a
great ability to sing, listen to music, play instruments,
compose songs, enjoy concerts and follow different
rhythms. This type of intelligence may notice off-key notes
that others do not and can easily memorize songs and
tunes.
5. Bodily-kinesthetic Intelligence - It is the ability to use the
whole body in the expression of ideas and feelings, and the
facility in the use of the hands to transform
elements. Children who show kinesthetic intelligence are
good at dancing, acting, imitating gestures or expressions,
playing sports, running, moving and jumping.
6. Intrapersonal Intelligence - It distinguishes those who
know themselves best. These children like to work
independently, set goals and focus on achieving them,
understand their feelings and know their strengths and
weaknesses.
7. Interpersonal Intelligence - As opposed to intrapersonal
intelligence, it is common among kids that are good at
talking, working in teams, helping others, mediating
conflicts and meeting new people.
8. Naturalistic intelligence - Related to the attraction towards
environmental issues, plants and animals. People with this
kind of intelligence enjoy doing activities such as camping,
hiking, caring for animals, learning about nature, recycling
and caring for the environment.
 Factor – a circumstance, fact, or influence that contributes
to a result or outcome. A number or quantity that when
multiplied with another produces a given number or
expression.
 Intelligence – is the sum of total of all cognitive processes
and skills. It refers to the ability of an individual to learn
from experience, to reason well, and to cope with the
demands of social living. Topics called “higher-order” forms
of cognition-concept formation, reasoning, problem
solving, and creativity, as well as memory and perception
are related to human intelligence.
 Human intelligence – is the ability to acquire, recall, and
use knowledge to understand concrete and abstracts
concepts, relations among objects and ideas, and to use
knowledge in a meaningful way.
 Nature – how much does our intelligence depend on our
genes? For more than a century, researchers have been
studying how much our genetic legacy influences our
intelligence. After all that time, they've determined that
our genes do influence intelligence and IQ. (40-80%)
 our brain structure and functionality -- both biological
factors -- contribute to our level of intelligence. Using brain
imaging, neuroscientists have identified differences in
brain structure, specifically differences in our parieto-
frontal pathways that seem to affect our intelligence
positively (or negatively, depending on the brain). Well-
functioning pathways correlate to better brain functioning,
brain efficiency and information processing, which all point
to better IQ scores.
 Early Nutrition – as it turns out, you really are what you
eat. And what your mom ate during her pregnancy.
Prenatal and early nutrition are linked to brain structure,
behavior and, yes, intelligence. The greater nutrition in the
foods we eat, especially for males in the weeks just after
birth, the greater the size of the caudate -- that's the part
of our brain that specializes in learning and memory -- and
the greater our verbal IQ scores. And the effects also seem
to apply to babies whose prenatal diets were rich in long-
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chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as DHA  is like the air we breathe. It’s invisible, inescapable, and
(docosahexaenoic acid). indispensable and never should be taken for granted. How
 When pregnant and lactating women have diets rich in does this happen? Everyday human beings are bombarded
these fatty acids, their offspring are more likely to score with loads and load of choices and information to sort
higher on intelligence and achievement tests at ages 4 and through. To perform in this world of haste, we must be
7. able to analyze and then act upon seemingly infinite hoard
 Nurture – it is how much nature versus nurture affects of stimuli. Moreover, in fact, we are wonderfully equipped
human intelligence is a long-studied and long- debated to do just that. The equipment that is being discussed is
topic. The term "nature" refers to how genetics and what we call decision-making. What is decision-making?
heritability influence our intelligence, and "nurture" According to Ferguson’s (1998) Webster Illustrated
describes how certain environmental factors affect our Contemporary Dictionary an Encyclopedic Edition, “It is the
intelligence. These factors include everything from our process by which decisions are made, especially important
family's parenting style and home environment to how decisions affecting others and made by virtue of one’s
we're educated and the experiences we have throughout office or position: The power of ability to make decisions of
our lives. consequences.”
 Researchers often study twins who've been separated at
birth to understand further the roles nature and nurture
play in human intelligence. They theorize that if
intelligence is purely biological, identical twins separated at
birth should still have equal IQs. But that's not always the
case, they find. While you may be genetically predisposed
to an average intelligence level, a quality education and life
experiences may enable you to turn an average IQ into a
great one over a lifetime.
 Birth Order – people have been studying whether or not
birth order affects human intelligence for more than a
century, yet we're still just not sure. For years, it was
believed that firstborns and older children in families were
more intelligent than their younger siblings. And there are
more firstborn children who've become space-bound
astronauts, U.S. presidents and Nobel Prize winners than
kids with older siblings.
 Why? Families with just one child may have more time and
financial resources to put toward educating that child.
Recent studies, however, observe that it may not be
intelligence -- our potential for learning, understanding
and reasoning -- that's affected by birth order, but rather
our IQ (intelligence quotient). IQ tests measure our
intelligence aptitude and compare us to our peers.
Firstborn children, on average, score three points higher on
IQ tests than their closest, next-born siblings
 *Birth Order and Personality, researchers continue to study
if, how and why birth order affects our intelligence, they're
also looking at how birth order affects our personalities.
They've found that firstborn children tend to be
perfectionists and people- pleasers, while their younger
siblings are often more extroverted and sociable.
 Environment – we may be genetically predisposed to a
certain brain volume, structure and pathways -- a certain
level of intelligence set by our biology -- but how much we
achieve isn't based in biology alone. The type of life we
lead also affects intelligence. Environmental factors, such
as the diet we eat, the toxins we're exposed to both in the
womb and as we age, and even the neighborhood we
choose to live in -- be it dangerous or safe -- all influence
how genes are expressed in our lives.
 Let's use cigarette smoke as an example. Exposure to the
toxins in cigarette smoke -- while in the womb and
throughout a lifetime -- is known to lower our intelligence
quotient, decreasing IQ scores by more than seven points
when compared to individuals who aren't exposed to
cigarette smoke [source: American Friends of Tel Aviv
University]. Such environmental factors are thought to
influence our intelligence levels throughout our lives.

Ways To Make Effective Decision Making

Decision Making

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(B) Interpersonal Relationships
 A strong bond between two or more people refers to
interpersonal relationship. Attraction between individuals
brings them close to each other and eventually results in a
strong interpersonal relationship.
Must have in an Interpersonal Relationship:
 Individuals in an interpersonal relationship must share
common goals and objectives. They should have more or
less similar interests and think on the same lines. It is
always better if individuals come from similar backgrounds.
 Individuals in an interpersonal relationship must respect
each other’s views and opinions. A sense of trust is
important.
 Individuals must be attached to each other for a healthy
interpersonal relationship.
 Transparency plays a pivotal role in interpersonal
relationship. It is important for an individual to be honest
and transparent.
Relationship between friends:
 Friends must be honest to each other.
 Stand by your friends at times of need.
 Avoid leg pulling, criticism and making fun of your friends.
 Try not to mix friendship with love as it creates problems
and misunderstandings.
*Interpersonal relationship between children and their parents,
brother and sister, immediate family members or relatives revolve
around trust, commitment and care.
Different Types of Interpersonal Relationships
 When two individuals feel comfortable in each other’s
company and decide to be with each other, they enter into
a relationship.
 A close association between individuals who share
common interests and goals is called interpersonal
relationship.
 Individuals who are compatible with each other enter into
an interpersonal relationship. People must gel well for a
strong and healthy relationship.
 Let us go through the various types of interpersonal
relationship:
(1) Friendship
 Friendship is an unconditional interpersonal relationship
where individuals enter into by their own sweet will and
choice.
 Friendship is a relationship where there are no formalities
and individuals enjoy each other’s presence.
Friendship can be between:
 Man and a woman
 Man and man
 Woman and woman
Must have in friendship:
 Transparency is the most essential factor for a stable
friendship. Do not hide things from your friends. Be honest
to them.
 Guide them whenever required. Never give them any
wrong suggestions or advice.
 Feelings like ego, jealousy, hatred, anger do not exist in
friendship.
 The entire relationship of friendship revolves around trust
and give and take. No relationship can be one sided and
same with friendship. Try to do as much as you can for
your friends.
(2) Love
 An interpersonal relationship characterized by passion,
intimacy, trust and respect is called love.
 Individuals in a romantic relationship are deeply attached
to each other and share a special bond.
Must have in a Romantic relationship:
 Two partners must trust each other in this relationship.
 A sense of respect and mutual admiration is essential.
 Partners must reciprocate each other’s feelings for the
charm to stay in the relationship for a longer period of
time.
Case - 1
 Marriage happens when two individuals in love decide to
take their relationship to the next level.
 Marriage is a kind of formalized relationship where two
individuals after knowing each other well decide to enter
the wedlock and stay together life-long through thick and
thin.
Keys to a successful marriage:
 Understanding
 Love
 Passion
 Intimacy
 Respect
 Trust
Case - 2
 Two individuals might love each other but decide not to
get married. They are often called as boyfriend and
girlfriend. They may or may not stay together. If they stay
together without formally getting married, they are said to
enter a live in relationship.
 Individuals staying at far off places but in a relationship are
said to be in a long distance relationship.
Case - 3
 Individuals not getting along might decide to end the
relationship for a better future.
(3) Platonic Relationship
 A relationship between two individuals without any
feelings or sexual desire for each other is called a platonic
relationship.
 In such a relationship, a man and a woman are just friends
and do not mix love with friendship.
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 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ETHICS (THC6) - FINALS
 Platonic relationships might end in romantic relationship
with both the partners developing mutual love and falling
for each other.
(4) Family Relationship
 Individuals related by blood or marriage are said to form a
family.
(5) Professional Relationship (Work Relationship)
 Individuals working together for the same organization are
said to share a professional relationship.
 Individuals sharing a professional relationship are called
colleagues. Colleagues may or may not like each other.
(C) Strategy in Gaining Intellectual Growth
What is intellectual growth?
 Cognitive or intellectual development means the growth of
a child's ability to think and reason. It is about how they
organize their minds, ideas and thoughts to make sense of
the world they live in. Begin to reason and argue, uses
words like why and because.
Eight simple steps to increase your intellectual wellness
1. Read for fun. - It may be hard to do when you are spending
most of your time doing required homework and readings,
but try to find time during the morning, night, or weekend
to sit down and read something for fun. Reading, especially
something you enjoy, can improve your intellect by
stretching your mind to think about things you normally
don’t think about!
2. Debate an issue with a friend, but choose the viewpoint
opposite the one you hold. - Sounds tricky, right? That’s
the point! Focusing attention on information that is
different than your beliefs can improve intellectual
wellness. Naturally, we tend to only focus our attention on
opinions, beliefs, and facts that hold true to our
viewpoints. When you expose the mind to opposing ideas,
it expands the mind to grasp new information.
3. Improve your skills for studying and learning. - Learning
new things about the way your mind processes
information can be a vital tool to helping you succeed.
4. Learn a foreign language. - Learning a foreign language can
be beneficial to your intellectual health and your
employment prospects. When learning different ways to
communicate, your mind expands. This not only helps with
being receptive to new knowledge, but also helps broaden
information already learned.
5. Play a game. - Board games and cards are popularly known
as leisure activities. These activities can also help with your
intellectual wellness. The next time you have free time,
pick up a deck of cards or pull out a board game and play!
It makes no difference whether you are playing alone or
you are playing with others. As long as your mind is
thinking, improvements are being made.
6. Play a musical instrument. - Music has a powerful impact
on our minds. Playing a musical instrument can increase
intellectual wellness by learning how to create sounds,
make patterns, and emote through music. Any instrument
can work to increase intellectual wellness, so start today
and take up a new hobby.
7. Write down your thoughts or journal frequently. - Taking
the time to write down thoughts or journal frequently can
help those who struggle with expressing their feelings or in
general for anyone who is trying to make sense of what
they are feeling inside. Being able to identify your feelings
and understanding yourself more and your actions
increase intellectual wellness by exposing your mind to
deeper thinking.
8. Do crossword or sudoku puzzles. - Crosswords and Sudoku
are leisure activities that have proved to increase
intellectual wellness. Working through puzzles or finding
words in patterns uses a great amount of brain power.
Increasing your ability to work through these activities can
maintain and build your intellectual wellness.
Chapter 7
TECHNIQUES IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PHASE III
RATIONALE
 Developing communication skills can help many aspects of
your life, from your professional career, to social
gatherings, to your family life.
 In today's hectic world, we rely heavily on sharing
information, resulting in greater emphasis being placed on
having good communication skills. Good verbal and written
communication skills are essential in order to deliver and
understand information quickly and accurately. Being able
to communicate effectively is a vital life skill and should not
be overlooked.
 In contrast, poor communication skills can have a negative
impact – a poorly delivered message may result in
misunderstanding, frustration and in some cases disaster.
A. Definition of Written Communication?
 Written communication is making use of the written word
to deliver information. Anytime a person writes a message
that will be sent along for someone else to read and
interpret, they are using written communication.
 Written Communication in Business
 Of all communication channels, businesses rely the most
on written communication. Emails, memos, company
newsletters, meeting recaps, scribbled notes – the list goes
on and on.
 A great advantage of written communication is that the
message can be referred back to at a later time, making it
the best option for sending a lot of important information
at once. And if there is one place you want to be on top of
the latest information, it’s in the workplace.
1) Importance of Written Communication
 Successful business leaders are master communicators,
whether in oral or written form. The digital age has
transformed how businesses communicate with
consumers, vendors and partners. Written business
communication should be professional, clear and concise.
Don't fall victim to poorly written communication, before
you realize just how important written communication is
for your business.
2) Barriers in the Communication
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 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ETHICS (THC6) - FINALS

 Regardless of the type of communication: verbal,  Keep your resume as short as possible.
nonverbal, written, listening or visual, if we don't  Include a heading on second page giving your name and
communicate effectively, we put ourselves and others at the page number if you use two pages.
risk. Besides physical and technical barriers,  Types your resume perfectly.

There are six barriers to effective communication every employee “The Contents of a Resume”
and manager should strive to eradicate.
 Include the following information: your name, address and
telephone number, the position or type of position in
which you are interested, your work experiences and your
1. Dissatisfaction or Disinterest With One’s Job - If you are
educational background.
unhappy or have lost interest in your job, you are far less
 Information such as fluency in foreign languages and
likely to communicate effectively – both on the giving and
outside activities can be included, depending on the
receiving ends. In other words, your heart isn’t in it. This
applicability to the position you are applying for.
barrier, is perhaps the most difficult to overcome because
 Do not date your resume, but be sure your work
it involves changing a mindset, and thus it typically doesn’t
experiences and educational date are up-to-date and your
change until the person leaves.
address and telephone number are current.
2. Inability to Listen to Others - Active listening is an
 Do not give your age, your civil status or state that you are
important aspect of effective communication. You cannot
have children. You may mention your family during the
engage with someone if you are not listening to them
interview, if appropriate.
because you will tend to make assumptions about their
 Some employees consider references important. A
needs based on your perceptions versus reality.
potential employer will assume that you have references.
3. Lack of Transparency & Trust - It is extremely difficult to
communicate anything when there is a lack of  Do not include salary requirements and other benefits in
transparency and trust. For example, if your staff believes your resume. These may be discussed in a different venue,
you are holding something back, they will be anxious, perhaps at the interview.
some will speculate, and as a result, it will be more difficult 4) Letter Seeking Assistance in the Form of a Cover Letter
for them to process any attempt you make to
communicate with them.  Cover letters are usually written and addressed to the
4. Communication Styles (when they differ) - Everyone has respondents of a research study. Questionnaires, opinion
their own communication style. Some people are very and other survey letters explain the purpose of the study.
direct while others prefer a more indirect approach. Some Cover letters are ways of asking or requesting the
use detailed data, while others rely on generalities, and so respondents to answer the survey instrument in order to
forth. Occasionally, one person is so entrenched in their gather the needed data.
way of communicating, they find it difficult to
communicate with others who rely on a different style. You
might hear comments such as, “Mary never explains what
she wants me to do, she’s never specific” or “Bill gets so
caught up in the weeds, that I lose focus on the bigger
picture.”
5. Conflicts in the Workplace - Conflict can happen for a
variety of reasons and when it does, it becomes a barrier
to effective communication. The nature of the conflict is
not necessarily important, what is important is working to
resolve the conflict. When conflict is not eradicated, it
grows and then people begin to take sides, which further
impedes effective communication.
6. Cultural Differences & Language - It is important to
understand the cultural differences in communication. But (5) Letter Seeking Information and Assistance
don’t just think international as in remembering that in
Japan one’s surname precedes their given name. There can The following characteristics:
also be regional differences – for example, a northerner
might not like the term "y’all" or even understand the  It must state why the need for the information.
more comprehensive version, "all y’all." While these  The overall tone of the letter must be courteous or tactful.
examples may seem trivial, the point is that cultural  It must be specific and concise and must omit unnecessary
differences can occur within the boundaries of the US, and details.
when one does not recognize cultural differences, they risk  It must show appreciation.
offending the other person. It is in the offense that
The following manners:
communication breaks down.
 Identify your-self.
(3) Preparing the Resume
 Explain why you are asking for the information and your
 The first step in finding a job is by preparing a resume and plan to use it.
cover letter. A resume is a brief summary of your work  Ask your questions be specific and thorough so that the
experiences and achievements, educational background recipient understands exactly what you need to know.
and personal qualifications. Your resume is your  List and number your questions, if there are several.
introduction to a potential employer. If your resume makes  If you need the information by a certain date, mention the
a good impression, a potential employer will be more likely date in the letter.
to respond by setting you up for an interview.  Allow the recipient a reasonable amount of time to reply.

“How to Prepare a Resume” (6) Application Letter

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 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ETHICS (THC6) - FINALS
 A letter of application typically provides detailed
information on why are you are qualified for the job you
are applying for. Effective application letters explain the
reasons for your interest in the specific organization and
identify your most relevant skills or experiences.
 Your application letter should let the employer know what
position you are applying for, why the employer should
select you for an interview, and how you will follow-up.
When writing an application letter you should include:
 First Paragraph: Why you are writing - mention the job you
are applying for and where you found the listing.
 Middle Paragraph(s): What you have to offer the employer
- mention why your skills and experience are a good fit for
the job.
 Last Paragraph: Say thank you to the hiring manager for
considering you and note how you will follow up.
B. Oral Communication Skills
 Oral communication is the process of verbally transmitting
information and ideas from one individual or group to
another. Oral communication can be either formal or
informal. Examples of informal oral communication include
face-to-face conversations.
1) The Elevator Pitch
 An elevator pitch, elevator speech, or elevator statement is
a short description of an idea, product or company that
explains the concept in a way such that any listener can
understand it in a short period of time. This description
typically explains who the thing is for, what it does, why it
is needed, and how it will get done. Finally, when
explaining an individual person, the description generally
explains one's skills and goals, and why they would be a
productive and beneficial person to have on a team or
within a company or project. An elevator pitch does not
have to include all of these components, but it usually
does at least explain what the idea, product, company, or
person is and their value.
 An elevator pitch can be used to entice an investor or
executive in a company, or explain an idea to a founder's
parents. The goal is simply to convey the overall concept or
topic in an exciting way. Unlike a sales pitch, there may not
be a clear buyer–seller relationship.
 The name—elevator pitch—reflects the idea that it should
be possible to deliver the summary in the time span of an
elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds to two
minutes.
C. Business Presentations
Knowing Your Audience
 To communicate effectively (that is, to achieve your
purpose), you must adapt to your audience. Therefore, you
must know your audience. Knowing your purpose and
audience helps determine your strategy. If your purpose or
audience is unclear, clarify it as best you can, possibly by
asking others.
Chapter 8
TECHNIQUES IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PHASE IV
RATIONALE
 DURING AN INTERVIEW, YOU MAY BE ASKED, “WHY ARE
YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB?” IN YOUR ANSWER,
INTERVIEWERS ARE LOOKING FOR A FEW KEY PIECES OF
INFORMATION. THEY ARE PROBABLY CURIOUS ABOUT
HOW MUCH THOUGHT YOU’VE PUT INTO STARTING YOUR
JOB SEARCH, WHY THIS SPECIFIC JOB OPPORTUNITY IS
APPEALING TO YOU AND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IN
YOUR NEXT POSITION.
 POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT YOU
AND WHETHER YOU’RE A GOOD FIT FROM YOUR ANSWER
TO THIS QUESTION, SO IT’S SMART TO PLAN YOUR
RESPONSE IN ADVANCE. THEY WILL BE LISTENING FOR ANY
RED FLAGS THAT MAY COME UP. FOR EXAMPLE, HOW DO
YOU HANDLE CONFLICT RESOLUTION? ARE YOU LIKELY TO
LEAVE SHORTLY AFTER YOU’RE HIRED? HOW HAVE YOU
CONTRIBUTED TO THE SITUATION YOU’RE LOOKING TO
LEAVE? IN PARTICULAR, THEY MAY BECOME CONCERNED IF
YOU SAY NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT YOUR FORMER
EMPLOYER, WONDERING IF YOU WOULD, IN TURN, ALSO
SAY NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT THEM ONE
SEARCHING JOB OPPORTUNITIES
 DO YOU HAVE A JOB INTERVIEW COMING UP? ARE YOU
PREPARED? THE BEST WAY TO GET READY FOR AN
INTERVIEW IS TO TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW THE MOST
COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS YOU WILL MOST LIKELY
BE ASKED, ALONG WITH EXAMPLES OF THE BEST
ANSWERS. KNOWING WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY CAN
ELIMINATE A LOT OF INTERVIEW STRESS.
TIPS FOR THE JOB HUNTER
1. KNOW YOUR CAREER GOALS. - FIRST, IDENTIFY WHAT
TYPE OF CAREER YOU WANT. THIS IS PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE ENTERING THE WORKFORCE FOR
THE FIRST TIME OR CHANGING CAREERS. GET
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FAMILY, PROFESSORS, A
CAREER COACH OR FORMER COWORKERS. MAKE SURE
YOU HAVE A CLEAR AND REALISTIC GOAL, DETERMINE
HOW YOU PLAN TO REACH IT AND NOTE WHAT QUALIFIES
YOU FOR THAT CAREER PATH. THESE STEPS CAN HELP YOU
NARROW YOUR JOB SEARCH TO POSITIONS YOU ARE
PASSIONATE ABOUT AND WILL HELP YOU ADVANCE
PROFESSIONALLY.
2. PLAN AHEAD. - ORGANIZE YOURSELF AND YOUR
SCHEDULE TO SEARCH FOR JOBS MORE EFFICIENTLY.
DETERMINE HOW MANY HOURS PER DAY OR WHAT DAYS
OF THE WEEK YOU WILL DEDICATE TO JOB HUNTING OR
NETWORKING. MAKE SURE YOUR RESUME AND COVER
LETTER ARE UP TO DATE. IF YOU NEED HELP CREATING
THESE, SEARCH FOR TEMPLATES OR SAMPLES ONLINE.
HAVE A LIST OF TWO TO THREE REFERENCES AND THEIR
CONTACT INFORMATION READY TO PROVIDE EMPLOYERS.
CREATE OR UPDATE YOUR PROFILE ON PROFESSIONAL
NETWORKING WEBSITES AND CREATE A SPREADSHEET TO
NOTE THE JOBS YOU HAVE APPLIED FOR AND THE
INTERVIEWS YOU HAVE RECEIVED. YOU MIGHT ALSO
CHOOSE TO SET UP A PROFESSIONAL EMAIL ACCOUNT TO
KEEP YOUR JOB SEARCH MESSAGES SEPARATE AND
ORGANIZED FROM YOUR PERSONAL ONES. COMPLETING
THESE STEPS BEFORE STARTING YOUR JOB SEARCH CAN
MAKE THE PROCESS FASTER AND EASIER.
3. GET RESUME AND COVER LETTER HELP. - ASK A FRIEND,
FAMILY MEMBER, COWORKER, CAREER COUNSELOR OR
OTHER PROFESSIONAL TO PROOFREAD YOUR RESUME
AND COVER LETTER FOR ERRORS, AS WELL AS TO OFFER
ADVICE. SOME JOB SEEKERS EVEN CHOOSE TO WORK
WITH A PROFESSIONAL RESUME-WRITING SERVICE OR
RESOURCE TO SAVE TIME AND ENHANCE YOUR RESUME
AND COVER LETTER.
4. USE ALL JOB SEARCH RESOURCES. - RATHER THAN
LIMITING YOURSELF TO MANUAL ONLINE SEARCHES, TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF ALL JOB SEARCH OPTIONS. THIS MIGHT
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 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ETHICS (THC6) - FINALS
INCLUDE REACHING OUT TO COMPANIES OR HIRING
MANAGERS IN PERSON, ATTENDING CAREER FAIRS,
SEARCHING SOCIAL MEDIA OR USING A CAREER
COUNSELING SERVICE. USE JOB SEARCH ENGINES TO FIND
OPENINGS ON JOB BOARDS, COMPANY WEBSITES,
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MORE. SIGN UP FOR
DAILY OR WEEKLY JOB ALERTS BY EMAIL.
5. CUSTOMIZE YOUR RESUME. - ADAPT YOUR RESUME TO
EACH JOB YOU APPLY FOR. STUDY THE JOB DESCRIPTION
TO DETERMINE WHY YOU ARE A GREAT FIT. THEN, ADD
YOUR SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND MEASURABLE
ACHIEVEMENTS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THAT POSITION.
HIRING MANAGERS WHO LOOK THROUGH MANY
RESUMES SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ YOURS AND QUICKLY
KNOW YOU HAVE THE SKILLS FOR THE POSITION.
TO SIMPLIFY THIS STEP, HAVE TEMPLATES OF YOUR
RESUME AND COVER LETTER READY TO CUSTOMIZE. KEEP
KEY SECTIONS SUCH AS YOUR EDUCATION AND CONTACT
INFORMATION THE SAME, BUT PERSONALIZE YOUR
ABILITIES OR PAST JOB DUTIES TO FIT THE JOB YOU ARE
APPLYING FOR.
6. RESEARCH COMPANIES. - AS YOU FIND JOB LISTINGS THAT
INTEREST YOU, RESEARCH THE HIRING COMPANIES BEFORE
APPLYING. THIS CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION
ABOUT THEIR COMPANY CULTURE, BENEFITS AND SALARY
RANGE, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AND WORK
ENVIRONMENT. YOUR RESEARCH WILL TELL YOU WHETHER
YOU WANT TO OR ARE QUALIFIED TO WORK FOR THAT
COMPANY. IT ALSO GIVES YOU VALUABLE INFORMATION
YOU CAN REFERENCE IN YOUR COVER LETTER OR
INTERVIEW.
7. APPLY WITH CONFIDENCE. - APPLY FOR JOBS YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN EVEN IF YOU ONLY MEET SOME OF THEIR
REQUIREMENTS. DEPENDING ON THE POSITION,
EMPLOYERS MIGHT HIRE MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS WHO
LEARN QUICKLY AND PROVIDE THEM WITH SKILLS
TRAINING ON THE JOB. IF YOU MEET A PORTION OF A
JOB’S QUALIFICATIONS BUT BELIEVE YOU CAN STILL
SUCCEED IN THAT ROLE, APPLY. INCLUDE EXAMPLES OF
YOUR WORK ETHIC AND ABILITY TO LEARN NEW SKILLS IN
YOUR RESUME. EMPHASIZE HOW YOUR GOALS ALIGN
WITH THOSE OF THE COMPANY.
8. SCHEDULE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS. -
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS ARE INFORMAL
CONVERSATIONS WITH PROFESSIONALS IN AN INDUSTRY
OR A COMPANY YOU MIGHT WANT TO WORK FOR. FIND
OUT WHETHER YOU ARE A GOOD FIT FOR A JOB BY
REQUESTING INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS WITH
SOMEONE WORKING IN A FIELD THAT INTERESTS YOU.
SEARCH FOR POTENTIAL INTERVIEW SUBJECTS ON
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING SITES OR MEMBER
ORGANIZATIONS.
9. SUCCEED IN YOUR CURRENT JOB. - IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY
EMPLOYED AND LOOKING FOR A BETTER OR DIFFERENT
CAREER, CONTINUE TO PERFORM YOUR CURRENT JOB
WITH POSITIVITY AND COMMITMENT. MAINTAIN GOOD
RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR COWORKERS AND MANAGERS
AS LONG AS YOU’RE WORKING WITH THEM. YOUR
PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE AND EFFORTS CAN RESULT IN
JOB REFERENCES OR OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE.
10. NETWORK REGULARLY. - INTERACT WITH PEOPLE AND
DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS BOTH ONLINE AND IN
PERSON. START CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE AT
SEMINARS, SOCIAL EVENTS OR APPOINTMENTS. LET THEM
KNOW YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A JOB OR WANT TO WORK IN
A CERTAIN INDUSTRY. THEY MIGHT HAVE CONNECTIONS
OR ADVICE THAT CAN HELP YOU IN YOUR JOB SEARCH.
YOU MIGHT ALSO DISCOVER UNLISTED JOB OPENINGS OR
PEOPLE MIGHT RECOMMEND YOU FOR FUTURE
OPPORTUNITIES.
11. IDENTIFY EXAMPLES OF YOUR SKILLS. - PEOPLE TEND TO
REMEMBER ENGAGING STORIES AND EXAMPLES OVER
LISTS OF FACTS. PLAN AHEAD BY IDENTIFYING PERSONAL
EXPERIENCES OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HIGHLIGHT
THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR A CERTAIN JOB. ADD THESE TO
YOUR COVER LETTER AND USE THEM DURING
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES OR JOB INTERVIEWS. USE
THE STAR METHOD—SITUATION, TASK, ACTION AND
RESULT—TO TELL YOUR STORY EFFECTIVELY.
12. PREPARE FOR INTERVIEWS. - RESEARCH COMMON
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS, CREATE RESPONSES FOR THEM
AND PRACTICE THOSE RESPONSES BEFORE YOU GET
INVITED TO AN INTERVIEW. ASK A FRIEND OR
PROFESSIONAL CONTACT TO DO A PRACTICE INTERVIEW
WITH YOU. IF YOU ARE WELL-PREPARED, YOU WILL BE
MORE CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE WHEN YOU GO
INTO YOUR NEXT INTERVIEW.
13. FOLLOW UP. - IMMEDIATELY AFTER A JOB INTERVIEW,
SEND THE HIRING MANAGER A THANK- YOU NOTE. IF YOU
HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM AFTER A WEEK,
FOLLOW UP WITH A PHONE CALL OR AN EMAIL. WHEN
DOING SO, SHOW YOUR EXCITEMENT AND INTEREST IN
THE JOB. WHILE YOU WAIT FOR A RESPONSE, CONTINUE
SEARCHING FOR AND APPLYING TO JOBS THAT INTEREST
YOU.
14. EXPAND YOUR SKILLS. - IF YOU ARE JUST ENTERING THE
WORKFORCE OR STARTING A NEW CAREER, YOU MIGHT
NEED MORE TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE TO GET A JOB.
CONSIDER GETTING AN INTERNSHIP OR VOLUNTEERING
WITH AN ORGANIZATION IN YOUR DESIRED INDUSTRY
WHILE APPLYING FOR JOBS. USE THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO
EXPAND YOUR NETWORK OF CONTACTS OR ADVANCE TO A
FULL-TIME POSITION. YOU MIGHT ALSO TAKE ONLINE
COURSES OR ATTEND WORKSHOPS TO BUILD CERTAIN
SKILLS OR LEARN TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCESSES
RELEVANT TO YOUR INDUSTRY. UPDATE YOUR RESUME AS
YOU GAIN MORE EXPERIENCE OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THE JOB INTERVIEW: DEFINITION OF INTERVIEW
 A FORMAL MEETING IN WHICH ONE OR MORE PERSONS
QUESTION, CONSULT, OR EVALUATE ANOTHER PERSON.
 A MEETING OR CONVERSATION IN WHICH A WRITER OR
REPORTER ASKS QUESTIONS OF ONE OR MORE PERSONS
FROM WHOM MATERIAL IS SOUGHT FOR A NEWSPAPER
STORY, TELEVISION BROADCAST, ETC.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER IN THE CONDUCT OF AN
INTERVIEW
1) BUILD A PICTURE OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED - IF YOU
DON’T HAVE A PROPER IDEA OF THE TYPE OF PERSON
THAT YOU NEED IN TERMS OF SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND
PERSONALITY, THEN HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO
DETERMINE A CANDIDATE’S SUITABILITY? BEFORE THE
INTERVIEW MAKE A CHECKLIST OF ALL THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ROLE AND THEN TAILOR YOUR
QUESTIONS AND MEANS OF ASSESSING THE INDIVIDUAL
SO THAT YOU CAN EVALUATE ALL OF THE FACTORS.
2) PROVIDE THE CANDIDATE WITH ALL THE RELEVANT
INFORMATION - IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE BEST THAT A
CANDIDATE CAN OFFER, THEN IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU
ALLOW THEM TO FULLY PREPARE. THIS MEANS THAT YOU
MUST LET THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT, SUCH
AS HOW AND WHERE THE INTERVIEW IS GOING TO BE
HELD, HOW LONG THE INTERVIEW WILL BE AND WHO
WILL BE PRESENT AT THE INTERVIEW. THE CANDIDATE
WILL APPRECIATE BEING KEPT IN THE LOOP, AS BEING
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 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ETHICS (THC6) - FINALS
CAUGHT OFF GUARD IN AN INTERVIEW CAN OFTEN
TRIGGER NERVES AND HINDER PERFORMANCE.
3) PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW - TAKING INTO ACCOUNT
THE CHECKLIST THAT YOU HAVE PUT TOGETHER OF ALL
THE QUALITIES YOU ARE LOOKING FOR, PREPARE A LIST OF
QUESTIONS THAT WILL HELP TO ASSESS THE CANDIDATE’S
SUITABILITY IN RELATION TO THESE FACTORS. THOUGH
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WILL BE MORE GENERIC OR
RELATED TO THE SPECIFIC ROLE, TRY TO TAILOR SOME
QUESTIONS TOWARDS THE INDIVIDUAL AND THEIR
BACKGROUND. DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFOREHAND, BY
THOROUGHLY READING THE CANDIDATE’S CV TO
FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THEIR WORK HISTORY. YOU
CAN ALSO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT A CANDIDATE BY
CHECKING THEM OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO THAT YOU
CAN ASK THEM ABOUT SOME OF THEIR INTERESTS OR
HOBBIES.
4) INTRODUCTION - BEGIN YOUR INTERVIEW WITH AN
INFORMAL CHAT TO BREAK THE ICE, FOR EXAMPLE YOU
COULD ASK THEM HOW THEIR JOURNEY WAS AND WHAT
THEY HAVE PLANNED FOR THE DAY, TO HELP THEM WARM
TO YOU AND RELAX. YOU CAN ALSO USE THIS TIME TO
INTRODUCE THEM TO THE RELEVANT PEOPLE AND
PROVIDE THEM WITH A BRIEF BREAKDOWN OF THE
STRUCTURE OF THE INTERVIEW, HOW LONG IT WILL LAST
ETC.
5) SELL THE JOB AND COMPANY - THE FIRST FEW MINUTES
OF THE INTERVIEW SHOULD THEN BE SPENT PROVIDING
THE CANDIDATE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE
COMPANY, WHAT YOU DO, THE REASONS FOR HIRING AND
WHAT THE ROLE INVOLVES. IT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR
YOU TO SELL THE OPPORTUNITY TO THE CANDIDATE AS
VICE VERSA, AS IF THEY DO NOT GET A GOOD VIBE FROM
YOU THEY MAY LOOK ELSEWHERE.
6) ASK QUESTIONS - THE INTERVIEW SHOULD FLOW AS
MORE OF A CONVERSATION THAN AN INTERROGATION, SO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE LISTENING ATTENTIVELY AND
ASKING FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS TO THE CANDIDATE’S
RESPONSES. ALLOW THEM TO FINISH TALKING BEFORE
YOU JUMP IN WITH ANOTHER QUESTION, AS BY TAKING IT
SLOWLY THE CANDIDATE IS MORE LIKELY TO ELABORATE
ON THEIR RESPONSE, OR SHARE MORE EXPERIENCES.
TAKING IT SLOWLY WILL ALSO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE
TIME TO THINK OF INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS TO ASK THEM
THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THEM AS AN INDIVIDUAL,
RATHER THAN THOSE THAT ARE CLEARLY PRE-PLANNED.
7) CANDIDATE QUESTIONS - AN INTERVIEW SHOULD BE A
TWO-WAY EXCHANGE, SO IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU
ENCOURAGE THE CANDIDATE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS
THEY MAY HAVE ABOUT THE JOB AND THE COMPANY. A
GOOD CANDIDATE WILL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK
INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CULTURE,
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE ROLE, ONGOING PROJECTS, ETC.
THIS IS WHEN THEY CAN PROVE THEY’VE DONE THEIR
HOMEWORK ON THE COMPANY AND WANT TO KNOW
WHERE THEY CAN FIT IN.
8) DESCRIBE THE NEXT STEPS - LET THE CANDIDATE KNOW
WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT, FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU ARE
INTERVIEWING MORE PEOPLE, IF THERE WILL BE A
SECOND ROUND OF INTERVIEWS AND WHEN THEY
SHOULD EXPECT TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU. IF YOU TELL
THEM YOU’LL LET THEM KNOW IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS
THEN STICK TO YOUR WORD. THERE’S NOTHING WORSE
THAN BEING LEFT HANGING AFTER A JOB INTERVIEW.
9) CLOSE THE INTERVIEW - MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE
BOTH COVERED EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO
DISCUSS BEFORE CLOSING THE INTERVIEW. ONCE YOU ARE
HAPPY THAT YOU’VE ASKED EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO
KNOW, THANK THE CANDIDATE FOR THEIR TIME AND LET
THEM KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE IN TOUCH. ENDING THE
INTERVIEW ON A SLIGHTLY INFORMAL AND FRIENDLY
NOTE WILL LEAVE A GOOD LASTING IMPRESSION WITH
THEM.
10) REFLECT ON THE INTERVIEW - WHILE THE INTERVIEW IS
STILL FRESH IN YOUR MIND, TAKE SOME TIME TO GO OVER
YOUR NOTES AND REFLECT ON SOME OF THE THINGS THEY
HAD TO SAY AND JOT DOWN ANY OTHER IMPORTANT
INFORMATION THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR
DECISION. ALTHOUGH YOU MAY STILL BE WAITING TO
INTERVIEW OTHER PEOPLE, YOU CAN MAKE A JUDGEMENT
ABOUT WHETHER YOU FEEL THEY COULD BE SUITABLE FOR
THE ROLE. IF THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE OF YOU
HOLDING THE INTERVIEW, THEN YOU CAN USE THIS TIME
TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE INTERVIEW AND
COME TO SOME SORT OF CONCLUSION.
HERE ARE THE TOP FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS DO BEFORE
OR DURING AN INTERVIEW
1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK - PREPARATION IS THE FIRST
ESSENTIAL STEP IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, SO DON’T
LET YOURSELF DOWN BEFORE IT’S EVEN TAKEN PLACE.
RESEARCHING THE COMPANY YOU ARE MEETING WITH
WILL SHOW YOUR INTEREST IN THE BUSINESS AND GIVE
YOU AN UPPER HAND. LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE AND
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE NEWS TO WIDEN YOUR
RESEARCH AND SEE WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING ABOUT
THE COMPANY. DON’T LIMIT YOUR RESEARCH TO THIS
ALONE - MAKE SURE YOU RESEARCH THE BACKGROUND OF
YOUR INTERVIEWERS, INCLUDING THEIR CAREER HISTORY
AND SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS.
2. MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION - IF YOU'RE GOING TO
A FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW, PLAN YOUR TRIP THERE, DO A
TRIAL RUN IF IT IS AT AN UNFAMILIAR LOCATION AND
ARRIVE A FEW MINUTES EARLY FOR THE INTERVIEW. LATE
ARRIVAL FOR A JOB INTERVIEW IS INEXCUSABLE. BRING
YOUR CV AND ENSURE YOU KNOW THE DATES AND ITS
SPECIFICS SO YOU CAN CONFIDENTLY TALK THROUGH
YOUR CV AND GIVE EXAMPLES.
FOR A VIDEO INTERVIEW, MINIMIZE TECHNICAL ISSUES BY
TESTING YOUR VIDEO TOOL THE DAY BEFORE YOUR
INTERVIEW, ON THE DAY OF YOUR INTERVIEW, ENSURE
YOU ARE SET UP AND READY TO GO AT LEAST 15 MINUTES
BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED TIME, IN A QUIET AND
COMFORTABLE PLACE. YOU WON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF
BEING ABLE TO OFFER A FIRM HANDSHAKE OR MAKE EYE
CONTACT WITH YOUR INTERVIEWER, SO THE BEST
ALTERNATIVE IS FOR YOU TO SMILE CONFIDENTLY AND
APPEAR INTERESTED AND ENGAGED.
3. LISTEN AND RESPOND ACCORDINGLY - TOO OFTEN THE
FEEDBACK FROM CLIENTS IS THAT THE CANDIDATE DOES
NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION IN A CLEAR AND DIRECT
MANNER. DON’T RUN CIRCLES AROUND THE QUESTIONS,
LISTEN AND ANSWER ACCORDINGLY WHILE USING
EXAMPLES FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE TO BACK IT UP.
4. PREPARE SMART, OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS TO ASK THE
INTERVIEWER - REMEMBER THAT AN INTERVIEW IS A
TWO-WAY STREET, ASKING QUESTIONS WILL HELP
ILLUSTRATE YOUR INTEREST AND MOTIVATION TO
SUCCEED IN THE ROLE AND COMPANY, AS WELL AS GET
YOU NOTICED AND SEPARATE YOU FROM OTHER
CANDIDATES. IT WILL ALSO DETERMINE IF THIS REALLY IS
THE OPPORTUNITY OR BUSINESS YOU WANT TO JOIN.
COMMUNICATING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND SUCCESSES
CLEARLY WILL HIGHLIGHT ANY OF YOUR STRENGTHS THAT
ARE RELEVANT TO THE ROLE.
5. SELL YOUR STRENGTHS AND EXPERTISE - MAKE SURE
THAT YOU COMMUNICATE YOUR STRENGTHS TO THE
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 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ETHICS (THC6) - FINALS
INTERVIEWER IN A CONCISE, FACTUAL AND SINCERE
MANNER.
HERE ARE THE TOP FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER DO:
1. DON’T SPEAK POORLY ABOUT YOUR PRESENT OR
FORMER EMPLOYERS - THE INTERVIEWER WILL ASSUME
YOU WILL DO THIS TO THEM IF YOU LEAVE AND QUESTION
YOUR PROFESSIONALISM. THIS IS A BIG RED FLAG TO
ANYONE INTERVIEWING A CANDIDATE.
2. DON’T FALSIFY INFORMATION - ANSWER QUESTIONS
TRUTHFULLY AND AS CLOSE TO THE POINT AS POSSIBLE.
EXPLAIN AND DESCRIBE THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT
RELATE TO THE POSITION ON OFFER, AND TRULY REFLECT
YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE. IF YOU ARE BEING PROBED IN AN
AREA THAT IS NOT A STRENGTH, BE HONEST AND LET
YOUR INTERVIEWER KNOW YOU ARE WILLING TO LEARN
OR WORK ON AND HOW YOU CAN UP SKILL IN THIS AREA.
FOLLOW THAT WITH STRENGTHS YOU HAVE IN ANOTHER
AREA THAT YOU COULD BRING TO THE TABLE.
3. DON’T SPEAK OVER THE INTERVIEWER - IT IS IMPORTANT
TO BE A GOOD LISTENER AS WELL AS A GOOD TALKER. IT
SHOWS THAT YOU ARE RESPECTFUL AND HAVE STRONG
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. IF YOU ARE INTERVIEWING VIA A
VIDEO PLATFORM REMEMBER THAT THERE WILL BE A
SLIGHT TIME DELAY, AVOID RUSHING TO ANSWER A
QUESTION IN CASE YOUR INTERVIEWER HASN'T FINISHED
SPEAKING.
4. DON’T ASSUME IT ISN’T AN INTERVIEW - REGARDLESS OF
WHAT INTERVIEW STAGE YOU ARE AT OR WHO YOU ARE
MEETING - IT MAY BE OVER A COFFEE, A FEW DRINKS OR
JUST LABELLED A FINAL CHAT - IT IS STILL USED AS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS YOUR SUITABILITY FOR THE
POTENTIAL ROLE.
5. DON’T LET ANY PAST REJECTIONS INFRINGE ON FUTURE
ONES. - FINDING A NEW JOB CAN BE TAXING, MAKE SURE
YOU APPROACH EVERY INTERVIEW AS A NEW
OPPORTUNITY AND LEARN FROM PAST INTERVIEW
MISTAKES. IF YOU HAVE SEVERAL INTERVIEWS LINED UP,
TRY TO LEAVE SOME SPACE BETWEEN THEM TO ENSURE
YOU ARE AT YOUR BEST.
A LAST ADVICE TO THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL
EVERYBODY HAS HEARD THE SAYING, “WORK SMARTER, NOT
HARDER,” BUT ISN’T IT HARD WORK JUST THINKING ABOUT WAYS
TO BE SMARTER?
THE FOLLOWING EIGHT PIECES OF PROFESSIONAL ADVICE WILL
SERVE TO INSPIRE OR REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR STRATEGIES FOR
SUCCESS, AS THEY HAVE DONE FOR MINE.
1. FIND A PERSON WHO HAS THE LIFE OR JOB YOU WANT. -
PURELY AS A RESULT OF THEIR OWN EGO, THIS PERSON
WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT HOW THEY GOT WHERE THEY
ARE, AND HOW YOU CAN TOO. EVEN IF THIS IS A PERSON
YOU DON’T KNOW THAT WELL, DROP THEM AN EMAIL TO
ASK IF YOU CAN BUY THEM A COFFEE AND TALK ABOUT
THEIR JOB. I DID THIS THREE TIMES WHILE WORKING IN
BANKING; BANKERS AREN’T KNOWN FOR THEIR
GENEROSITY, BUT THEY ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR EGO, AND
WHAT DOES ANY SUCCESSFUL EGO LOVE MORE THAN
TALKING ABOUT ITSELF? I’VE ALSO DONE THIS SEVERAL
TIMES SINCE LEAVING FINANCE TO GO INTO MY DREAM
CAREER, MEDICINE. (ANOTHER BENEFIT OF THIS IS THEY
ALWAYS INSIST ON BUYING THE COFFEE ANYWAY.)
2. DEVELOP AN INTERESTING AND RELEVANT SKILL THAT
ISN’T A PREREQUISITE. - EVERYBODY WHO IS WORTHY OF
BEING CALLED YOUR COMPETITION HAS THE NECESSARY
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE FOR THE JOB YOU WANT. JUST
LIKE DRIVING THROUGH A CITY AT RUSH HOUR, IF YOU TRY
TO BEAT EVERYONE ELSE ON WHAT IS NORMALLY THE
PROPER, MOST EFFICIENT ROUTE TO WORK, YOU WILL
ARRIVE LATER THAN IF YOU TOOK THE SLIGHTLY
INCONVENIENT BACK ROADS WITH LESS TRAFFIC. THE
SAME GOES FOR THE SKILLS MARKET: YOU NEED TO BE
GOOD AT THE PREREQUISITE SKILLS, BUT IF YOU ONLY PUT
YOUR ENERGY INTO THOSE, YOU MIGHT FIND THE TRAFFIC
ON THAT ROUTE OVERWHELMING WHEN YOU TRY TO
STAND OUT. DEVELOP A NICHE SKILL THAT IS DESIRABLE
BUT NOT SOMETHING THE COMPETITION HAS TO HAVE. IT
WILL MAKE YOU MORE INTERESTING AND MORE USEFUL.
3. GET A MENTOR. - IDEALLY THIS WOULD BE SOMEBODY
SENIOR WITHIN YOUR COMPANY, BUT REALLY IT CAN BE
ANYBODY MORE EXPERIENCED THAN YOU IN YOUR
INDUSTRY: SOMEONE WHO IS RESPECTED AND WHO HAS
INFLUENCE. AGAIN, IF YOU APPEAL TO THIS PERSON’S EGO
AND/OR GENEROUS SIDE, YOU WILL HAVE SOMEBODY
YOU CAN SEND HUNDREDS OF CAREER-RELATED
QUESTIONS TO. THEY WILL ALSO BECOME INCREDIBLY
USEFUL WHEN YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO VOUCH FOR
YOU.
4. REALIGN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY EFFORTS WITH THE
EXPECTATIONS YOU HAVE FOR YOUR FUTURE. - IF YOU
PICTURE YOURSELF ACHIEVING SOMETHING IMPRESSIVE
ONE DAY, THEN ASK YOURSELF: “AM I DOING ANYTHING
THAT IS IMPRESSIVE RIGHT NOW?” IF THE ANSWER IS NO,
THEN YOU NEED TO PICK UP YOUR GAME. YOU CAN’T
PLOD ALONG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK IF ONE DAY YOU
HOPE TO LEAD IT. WHAT ARE YOU ALREADY DOING TODAY
TO SET YOURSELF APART FROM YOUR PEERS?
5. MAKE A FIVE-YEAR PLAN. - THIS ISN’T JUST TO HELP YOU
FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS’
TIME; MOST IMPORTANTLY IT IS A DETAILED PLAN OF HOW
YOU’RE GOING TO GET THERE. START WITH WHERE YOU
WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS AND THEN WORK BACK, STEP
BY-STEP, INCLUDING EACH
TASK/PROJECT/ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU WILL NEED TO
ACHIEVE TO MOVE BETWEEN STEPS. THE RESULTS WILL
PROBABLY SCARE YOU BECAUSE IF YOU’RE AMBITIOUS
YOU WILL REALIZE THERE ARE STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE
NOW TO BE ON SCHEDULE.
6. DON’T SAY, “IF IT’S MEANT TO BE, THEN IT WILL
HAPPEN.” - THIS THOUGHT IS INCREDIBLY COMFORTING
AND IT CAN OCCASIONALLY BE USEFUL WHEN YOU’RE
BRAVELY BOUNCING BACK FROM A SETBACK. BUT REALLY
THIS THOUGHT IS JUST AN EXCUSE FOR INACTION. IT WILL
BE TOXIC TO ACHIEVEMENT IF YOU’RE NOT CAREFUL
BECAUSE THIS MIND-SET MAY REMOVE THE BURDEN OF
PROGRESS FROM YOU AND ALLOWS YOU TO BECOME
PASSIVE INSTEAD OF LEADING THE CHARGE ON YOUR
GOALS.
7. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE YOU ADMIRE AND
DITCH THE ONES WHO BREED NEGATIVITY. - PEOPLE
TEND TO RECALIBRATE THEIR DEFINITIONS OF WHAT IS
NORMAL, WHAT IS POSSIBLE, AND WHAT COUNTS AS
SUCCESS BASED ON THEIR SURROUNDINGS. YOU CAN
ACHIEVE THINGS THAT NOBODY THOUGHT POSSIBLE OF
YOU ONCE YOU’VE RESET YOUR STANDARDS TO A HIGHER
POINT. AT THE SAME TIME, THE MORE SUCCESSFUL OR
HAPPY YOU BECOME, THE MORE YOU WILL EITHER
ENCOURAGE NEGATIVITY OR INSPIRATION IN YOUR
FRIENDS OR COLLEAGUES. THEY MAY HAVE TO ADAPT TO A
NEW PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE. SURROUND
YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE YOU ADMIRE TO RAISE THE BAR
FOR YOURSELF SO YOU ACCOMPLISH MORE, AND GET RID
OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BRING YOU BACK
DOWN TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY’RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
JUST BE CAREFUL THAT THE PEOPLE YOU ADMIRE ARE A
DIVERSE GROUP OR YOU RISK BECOMING A POLARIZED,
ONE-DIMENSIONAL PERSON.
8. PRACTICAL INTELLIGENCE IS A MUCH HIGHER PREDICTOR
OF SUCCESS THAN IQ—WORK ON IT! - A DECENT IQ IS A
PREREQUISITE FOR ANY GOOD JOB, BUT IT’S REPEATEDLY
BEEN SHOWN TO NOT BE A GREAT INDICATOR OF SUCCESS.
IN FACT, RESEARCH SUGGESTS ONCE YOU HAVE A
MODERATELY HIGH IQ (>125), THIS IS SUFFICIENT FOR
PRETTY MUCH MOST JOBS IN THE WORLD. A MUCH MORE
_kjmgl
 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND APPLIED ETHICS (THC6) - FINALS

RELIABLE INDICATOR OF SOMEONE’S SUCCESS THAN IQ IS

THEIR CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL INTELLIGENCE. MALCOLM
GLADWELL, AUTHOR OF OUTLIERS, DESCRIBES THIS AS,
“NOT KNOWLEDGE FOR ITS OWN SAKE. IT’S KNOWLEDGE
THAT HELPS YOU READ SITUATIONS CORRECTLY AND GET
WHAT YOU WANT.” A HIGH IQ ENABLES YOU TO APPLY
YOURSELF VERY WELL TO A GIVEN TASK, WHICH IS GOOD
BUT ISN’T GOING TO SET YOU APART. TO BE SUCCESSFUL
IN THE WORLD YOU HAVE TO CREATE TASKS, AND FIGURE
OUT WHICH TASKS YOU SHOULD APPLY YOURSELF TO IN
THE FIRST PLACE.

_kjmgl