Every Day is a Job Interview: Show Up as Your Best Self
“When you are looking for a job or seeking a promotion, it is all about who you know.” I have heard this said countless times throughout my adulthood and have said it myself on occasion. I believe it is appropriate to flip this statement like this, “When you are looking for a job or seeking a promotion, part of your success depends on who knows you.” If this statement is true, then it is important to consider how you show up not just at work every day but in life every day…because people are watching and evaluating you even if they are not aware of it at the time. You should treat every day like it is a job interview and show up as your best self.
Years ago, I found myself released from a job because the department and position I was in had been eliminated. I was out of work and mortified that I had lost my job. Shortly after this occurred, I received a phone call from a friend who was calling to catch up. After learning of my situation, she offered me a job on the spot doing something I had zero experience in. Why? Because she knew me. We had known each other for years and she knew all the good and bad things about me and must have decided the good outweighed the bad. I believe she was calling to hire me but under the guise of “catching up.” Regardless, I was thankful for the call. I got that job because of who knew me.
Showing up as your best self in life every day will undoubtedly have a positive impact on your personal and professional life as well as others. It is no easy task and requires self-awareness, discipline, determination, and so much more. Here are some strategies to consider as you begin your journey of showing up as your best self:
- Be consistent. This includes your attitude and demeanor.
- How you deal with setbacks and failures.
- How you deal with conflict.
- Be interested before interesting.
- The four parts to building trust.
Be Consistent
People who have a steady, consistent attitude and demeanor are easy to be around because people around them do not have to wonder what mood they will be in that day. Showing up every day as your best self requires consistency. This does not mean you disregard negative feelings or hard times. It simply means, you manage those emotions and situations in an emotionally mature way. Being consistent also includes showing up on time and getting your work completed on time.
How You Deal with Setbacks and Failures
Your true grit is displayed when faced with a setback or failure. Are you someone who blames everyone else for the issue? Maybe you make up excuses for the failure? Do you get angry at others and take it out on them? Do you get angry with yourself and put up defensive walls? If any of these questions currently resonate with you, it is time to consider a new approach to dealing with setbacks and failures. Here are some things to start practicing:
- Take a learning approach. You can learn at least one thing from a failure even if it is just not to do it that way again. Find the learning opportunity(s).
- Take a breath and a break. Sometimes giving space between the event and dealing with it allows time for a better perspective. If possible, give it space before reacting.
- Learn to adapt. Sometimes, when dealing with setbacks and failures, it is good to consider if something needs to go altogether or at best, be tweaked.
- Lean on your confidants. We all need support, especially when dealing with these things. Go to those you trust for support, venting, and advice.
How You Deal with Conflict
When faced with conflict do you deny it, ignore it, attack those involved in it, or seek to resolve it in the best way possible?
Conflict is inevitable but not all conflict is bad. Tension is necessary for success in business and it can either be healthy or unhealthy. We can choose to deal with conflict in productive ways or ignore it and allow it to undermine our leadership, negatively impact relationships, and take away from the company’s bottom line. Check out our blog about Dealing with Conflict for deeper insights.
Be Interested Before Interesting
Have you ever been around people who always seem to bring the conversation back to being about themselves? In the GiANT World, we call this the Boomerang Effect. The problem is that it undermines our influence. When we are more concerned about being “interesting” to others rather than being “interested” in them, then we do things like name-drop, interrupt, or “one-up” other people in the conversation.
Whether it’s conscious or not, it communicates that we are more “for ourselves” than “for the other person” in that moment. It will typically cause others to put up “walls of self-preservation” and it may limit the depth of your relationship. In a work setting, it can inhibit our communication and effectiveness. Part of being “for others” and developing greater influence with them is actually being “interested before being interesting.” When we focus on being “interested” first, then we learn things about people and pave the way for greater influence and impact. In today’s world, relationships are the currency that drive performance and productivity.
The Four Parts to Building Trust
Whether they know it or not, people are always looking for four things when deciding whether to grant their trust to you:
- Character
- Chemistry
- Competency
- Credibility
Your character reflects your integrity, strength, nature, and persona. Your Chemistry is how well you connect with others. Competency is your skills and capabilities. Credibility is your trustworthiness and reliability…doing what you said you would do when you said you would do it. Without these, effective relationships cannot happen. But when you do fulfill these things, there is a deeper opportunity to develop long-term relationships with significant impact. The impact could be so great that someone may call you and offer you a job you have no experience in but they trust you and know you have all the soft skills needed.
The hardest part of doing anything is getting started so our strategy is to always start small. We challenge you to use the information shared here to get started on bringing your best self to your work and life in general every day and see where it takes you. Connect with us here to continue the conversation.
-Melissa Spangler
