Here's a contest that's easy to win. Join in before Sunday night, ok?
How to Enter
- At the bottom of this article, leave a comment that shows off your strengths.
(If you're not sure what your strengths are, get some ideas from How To Figure Out Which Job You’ll Excel At. Clicking this link will open a new window)
Some suggestions of what to write in your comment are:
- A job search tactic that worked particularly well for you recently or in the past
- The story of a work achievement you're very proud of
- Or- impress me with constructive feedback about JobMob and how I can make the site better for you.
Don't be shy…
How to Win
Simple – Leave an impressive comment.
The winners will be the 5 people with the most impressive comments as judged by me.
You, or anyone you know, can try to influence the choice of winners by leaving more comments in support.
Prizes
5 free copies of the hardcover edition of the recently-published Work Your Strengths (which sell for US$21.95) are available to be won, including shipping & handling to wherever you are in the world.
Rules
- Must be 18 or older.
- You can comment as many times as you like, but you can only win one prize.
- Be sure to use a real email address or Twitter account when you comment so that I can contact you if you win.
Contest Deadline
To be considered as entries in the contest, all comments must be submitted by this Sunday June 27th 2010, midnight PST, which is 10am Monday morning Israel time (check your local time here)
Good luck!
Thanks to Amacom Publishing for sponsoring this contest with the prizes.
This contest was inspired by Scott Adams's Attention Contest.
Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter for more fun job search contests.
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I’d have to say that my greatest strengths are the people I have met along my life. Friends, partners, mentors, leaders and youth. They have all taught me valuable lessons that I can apply to everything life throws at me.
Friends have been there to share and to get me through the tough times.
Partners in life have taught me to think less of myself and more of others.
Mentors have helped me navigate rocky shoals by freely recounting their life experiences.
Leaders have taught me an important lesson; learn to listen before you decide to speak.
Youth has taught me to look at life through a child’s eyes, seeing the wonder in things and keeping things simple.
Thanks for the opportunity to give this some thought.
Brad
I can do anything and everything.
My biggest strength is my confidence. I am not afraid to take on a challenge, and in fact the more difficult the challenge, the more I thrive on it.
For the past five years I have been involved in university debating. To do this I need to be able to get up in front of an audience, and present with my partner a position on a topic which I only received 15 minutes ago better than the other three teams trying to take me apart.
If I can do that, I can do anything.
I daydream.
From time to time I would hand in ideas that I dreamt up to the patent department of the hi-tech company where I worked.
Some of my ideas elicited the occasional chuckle.
Someone even told me that I hold the company record for rejected ideas.
On the other hand, some of my ideas were patented; and I have more telecommunications patents than most people I know.
The work achievement I’m most proud of is dramatically increasing the enrollment at the preschool where I was the director. When I began the job there were only 7 students, and it was a challenge to pay the electric bill each month. In order to jump start enrollment, I applied for and won a state grant from the Los Angeles Universal Preschool program. That allowed us to hire new teachers and outfit two classrooms for 40 students. At the end of my one year as Preschool Director our school grew seven-fold and was no longer in jeopardy of closing.
*****
Over my 20 years in the workforce, I’ve gradually moved into the field of Marketing, naturally looking for opportunities to create visually impressive marketing campaigns, exhibits, and training movies. While a picture may be worth a 1000 words, it can be priceless to people suffering from ADD/ADHD and Dyslexia.
I was recently diagnosed as having a form of (adult) ADD, where the neurologist performed tests that clearly distinguished between audio/reading and visual impediments. Not surprisingly, I scored much higher than average on visual performance exercises (I also learned that such a breakout which complements for inherent areas weakness is not uncommon).
Working this visual strength will help me compensate for my own ADD-related deficiencies, effectively differentiate my communications to audiences that are “text-based campaign” challenged, and serve to my advantage when interviewing for marketing communications positions (where I demonstrate to employers how to position THEMSELVES to stand out visually from the crowd).
I’d like to share some job-search advice.
Several years ago, I moved into an apartment. My new neighbors came round and, upon hearing that I had a computer-science degree, told me that their startup needed a technical writer.
And that’s how I got my first job.
I’m now once again looking for employment. But I’ll never forget the valuble lesson I learned then: The best way to get a job is to sit at home and wait for someone to knock on your door and offer you one.
Good comments everyone! Nice start to the contest.
Yonatan- that’s hilarious.
I once walked into a new real estate agency here in Ashdod, looking for an apartment to rent. The French partners – new immigrants to Israel – were impressed that I spoke 3 languages fluently and offered me a job. I thought it was a joke; I had been in their store for less than 5 minutes. They were serious.
In thinking about one’s strengths, I believe that one approach that should have a major impact on assessment of those strengths is to add a perspective of looking at the potential employer-employee relationship like a marriage. Posing the question “Would I marry me?” can really give one pause to reflect on strengths and weaknesses that make them a more /less desirable “mate” and applying it to an employment context…”Would I hire me?”
The answer could be surprising and lead to reassessment and making necessary changes in order to achieve positive results (employment)!
Wow! This site is clear and focused which energizes my strengths. I am focused, resourceful, think big, and learn all that I can from sites like this in order to strengthen and increase my networks. I am a non-litigating mediator and love it! A big strength along with dreaming big dreams (opening up mediation offices on different islands in the caribbean) is the initiative to ask and also to respond to invitations of opportunity like this one.
Jobseekers continue to believe that, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” when in fact, “It’s not what you know, it’s not who you know…it’s who…knows…you!” It’s about your reputation and the trust you develop with others who will refer you to new opportunities.
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My strengths are:Input, Learner, Intellection, Delebrative and Focus
We’re told that networking is an important way to find people who will help us achieve our objectives.
It’s easy to forget that we are the people that others are hoping will help them.
A network of people who are each hoping that someone will help them, with few people trying to help others, isn’t much use.
When looking for a job (for example, when scanning job-offer lists), also keep an eye out for positions that may be suitable for people you know – even if they are not in a position to help you.
It’s important to cultivate a culture where people help each other.
Though I am still looking for employment, I’m pleased that at least one of my friends has found a job via me.
As a teacher my strength is to be patient. This is, to understand that the learner wants to learn by his questions. To listen and address his concerns.
The material that me, the trainer as it were, want to pass over to the learner is not necessarily what he has in mind at his own stage
of the process.
As I prepare myself for the meeting of minds I keep in mind that the other person is an adult. I truly listen what he has to say.
Furthermore, I respect all persons. I can give of my time and of myself to someone. There is an element of care in any relationship. The other person is important to me.
To follow up on the leads to bring out the best knowledge of the other person. There is the magic of creativity when thanks to our guidance the other person arrives as his own conclusions on his time.
hayim
One suggestion for getting a job is to try and find innovative, yet positive, ways of getting yourself, and your skills, noticed.
A decent entry on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook or even walking down the street with your CV on a sandwich board is all well and good; but try to also think out of the box.
For example, say you were to hear about a competition by an organization that helps people find employment.
Entering such a competition would give you an additional opportunity to tell people about yourself: While providing useful information, you could also casually mention in passing that, for example, you’re a creative and technical writer with a background in computer science and an inventor with telecommunications patents (or whatever it is that you do).
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My biggest strength is the ability to be the liaison between technical people and non-techies. With this skill, I get results when solving business problems with technology.
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I’ve helped myself and others by creating a list of useful job search links (including several references to jobmob): http://www.juggler.co.il/jobsearch/.
-Scott
I am a positive attitude person. Thats my strength which helps me in leading the life pretty great till date 🙂
– Robin
“Relative” strengths.
It is important that when assessing your own strengths you also take into consideration the environment/marketplace you are in. Many of your strengths might not be as differentiating or important when moving to a different country (or different marketplace) and other skills/experiences might become strengths in this new environment. It can all be relative depending on the marketplace you are in, being able to identify your “relative strengths”.
When I moved to Israel 2 years ago I came with 11 years of experience in consumer products so that was definitely the place to first explore, and since the last 6 years were in brand management it seemed natural to look for the same job but in a different country. However even though brand management was my strength I had many weaknesses when comparing myself to a local brand manager such as language, culture, knowledge of local consumer and distribution channels, which can all be learned however it was still a disadvantage vs. locals.
After long analysis and introspection I realized that I possessed many other skills that might not have been relevant while being in America but became significantly more important when comparing myself to marketers in Israel. Suddenly having overseas experience, several languages, different cultural/international background, experience at international companies and other qualities became much more important and differentiating in the marketplace and it was then a matter of finding the right job/position/company where those strengths are valued/needed. A global marketing position at a consumer product company seems to fit very well with both my regular as well as my “relative” strengths.
In summary, it is important that when assessing ones strengths, you take into consideration the environment and marketplace you are in and try to find your “relative” strengths as well which should be the most differentiating and useful ones.
Here are some strengths that I take pride in.
I’m conscientious, industrious, and intelligent, always striving to excel at work.
I’m particularly good at multi-tasking and event planning. I’ve successfully hosted quite a few major events for the organizations I work for.
I’m a natural leader, willing to take responsibilities and make quick decisions in response to unexpected changes.
I’m also a easy-going, flexible and optimistic person. I’ve got lots of friends and go well with both my colleagues and my supervisor.
Hope I can win this book to help me further improve myself and advance faster in my career. Thank you for hosting the contest!
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A reader sent a question to the NewScientist magazine asking why many people tend to be rude and inconsiderate to each other in email exchanges, even though they would not act that way in face-to-face encounters.
Another reader sent in a reply: “That’s the most stupid question I’ve ever seen.”
But, seriously, people sometimes seem to forget that often there’s a person behind each email.
A good rule of thumb when dealing with an email sent specifically to you is to consider how you would act if the person were standing in front of you.
For example, in “real life”, if someone came up to you and offered you a job lead which you didn’t feel was worth following up, you wouldn’t simply turn your back on them and walk away without even thanking them for their efforts.
Likewise, make an effort to reply to emails in a considerate manner; it simply gives people a good impression of you, which can’t hurt in the long run.
During all FIRST interviews (over the past 1-2 years), I’ve been asked straight-out what my salary expectations were. Mentioning what I had earned in the past has not helped: elicited shock (we would NEVER pay so much), laughter (who do you think we/you are!), or disbelief (nobody would pay so much, no matter HOW much experience you have). Of course, I say that those were different times and my expectations are realistic…
It would be great if your site could give some tips on handling this sticky (not much to negotiate) issue. Should one just ask for a competitive and fair offer (which usually it is not), make a wild guess, or turn the question around on the interviewer? Getting in indication from the placement agency is helpful, but often not possible. Some companies left me speechless by proudly suggesting they were doing me a favor by offering 1/2 (or less) what I’d earned in the past. The problem is risking (burying) one’s chances by throwing out such a low estimate.
Thank you all for your comments!
There were some standout comments and inspiring stories. It wasn’t easy to choose all the winners, and I needed to reread some of the comments a few times but here is the list of winners in random order:
Israel
Hayim
Gavriel
Yonatan
Julie
Again, thank you all for entering, it was a pleasure to read your comments, and they’ll stay right here for others to enjoy.
Gavriel- always go into an interview with an idea of what the market salary is for the position you’re interviewing for but NEVER be the first to give out a number; it’s the easiest way for the company to reject you, for all the reasons you mentioned. Just say you’re “flexible and that it won’t be a problem.” You want to remove that hiring obstacle (make it a non-issue) until it’s your decision to put it back (or not) once they finally make an offer.
Mai ne Janab Mohtaram Major Rohail ur en k ehle khana k telephone numbers inter net ke mukhtalif web sites pr AUNTY MUNAZZA k naaam se publish/nashar kye the jis ke waja se en ko bohat TENSION ka samna karna para
Mai es k lye bohat sharminda hun ur en se MAFI ka talabgar hun ur aynda ayse koi b gair ikhlaqi harqat na kru ga
Es lye ye wazahati beyan nashar/publish kar raha hun.
Agr ksi k pass en web sites wala number ho to please DELETE kr k muje mazeed sharmindagi se bachaya jae.
Sarmad Ashfaq
03224108300
http://jobmob.co.il/blog/comment-contest-work-your-strengths/
My strength? It’s being aware of my limitations.
Have a lobotomy – there will be no further recollection of your resume or need to kill it.
There are however some side-effects associated with this technique: no further recollection of who you are, who your friends are (this could be an advantage), where you live, and in certain instances what a resume is (a major advantage)
One thing I am proud of is I developed and built a successful program in 4 weeks from scratch. They wanted the program built in 6 weeks. I am proud of my organizational skills.
This contest is currently closed, but I have 5 more contests currently open as part of JobMob’s 5th Anniversary week:
JobMob’s 5th Birthday Is Today!
I’m sorry I missed this contest.
Age discrimination in hiring is very much alive and well. Be careful how far back you go on your resume and application. However, your potential employer will still check on your age so be ready to address it. Sorry, but that is the reality of the job search process today.
Thought everyone here would like to know about a new comment contest I just launched:
#CONTEST: Win 1 of 5 Copies of Start Your New Job Successfully in a Week