She asks, "Should you be mainstream or disruptive?" That's personal; if you have an innovative product or service that's a game changer, be disruptive. But breaking eggs doesn't always make an omelet.
"Your passion reveals itself." That doesn’t dismiss analytics, but speak from your heart and soul. What is your platform?
“Always tell the truth...don’t go unprepared...be on time...be yourself." A few people can BS their way through life. It's rare.
Wintour says, "I’m interested in what they’ve read and who they are." The people we meet and the books we read speak volumes. Nonreaders lack curiosity. That's fine if it's the image you want to project.
"Be clear, honest, and authentic." If an interviewer asks you about success or failure and how you responded to each, are you clever enough not to tell the truth?
"Be direct about your life goals." Organizations find individuals that fit their culture. Investigate what the team is about. Do they match yours?
“There are so many ways to tap into creativity.” I have a niece in Durham, North Carolina who is an elite triathlete and runs a cake and baked goods business (Baker's Cakes). She blends artistic and baking skills.
“You are driven by your heart, your talent, and your instinct.” Find something to be passionate about.
"Make mistakes." The only people who never fail are those who do nothing.
“You need someone who can push you.” Don’t take a position that you feel you won’t allow you to learn and grow. I've always told young people that employers don't need the smartest person; they want hard workers who will figure it out.
MY TURN. Consider your interviews, what went well or poorly and why. I remember a medical school interview that was miserable. I was exhausted from academics and a part-time job, and it showed.
Leave an impression through enthusiasm and authenticity. Be prepared for typical, reasonable questions:
- Why are you interested in this position?
- What are you hoping to contribute?
- Discusses major successes.
- Tell me about your boss, coach, or teacher. (Don't go off on the boss.)
- Whom do you admire?
- Where do you see yourself in ten years? What are you doing to get there?
- Do you have a mentor who influenced your growth?
- What books are you reading?
Lagniappe:
If you were stranded on a desert island with two basketball books, which two would you want? It's personal.
Lagniappe 2: Nobody will like every action.
Lagniappe 3: Lincoln has been in the news. Do we know him? He became great through ambition and will to serve.
"While his mind was neither quick nor facile, young Lincoln possessed singular powers of reasoning and comprehension, unflagging curiosity, and fierce, almost irresistible compulsion to understand the meaning of what he heard, read, or was taught." - Doris Kearns Goodwin, in Leadership in Turbulent Times.
Lagniappe 3: Lincoln has been in the news. Do we know him? He became great through ambition and will to serve.
"While his mind was neither quick nor facile, young Lincoln possessed singular powers of reasoning and comprehension, unflagging curiosity, and fierce, almost irresistible compulsion to understand the meaning of what he heard, read, or was taught." - Doris Kearns Goodwin, in Leadership in Turbulent Times.
