Saturday, March 14, 2020

Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years - Your Career Intel

Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years - Your Career IntelIf there is one interview question that candidates seem stress over more than any other it is Where you do see yourself in 5 years?This question is complicated because your thought process, which is really what the interviewer wants to hear as opposed to an actual five-year-plan, can reveal several different pieces of information.As an executive recruiter, I can tell you that this question doesnt get asked as much as you would think. However, it does still come up occasionally and the exercise of thinking through a response is a valuable one for interview preparation.To help you prepare, here are four questions the interviewer is really asking when they say, Where do you see yourself in five years?Have you thought about a long-term future with this company?Never deliver a generic response to where do you see yourself after 5 years? Companies hate turnover. They look for employees who really want to be at that particular company and are committed to building a career there over the next five years. A thoughtful response specific to the company and its specific advancement opportunities shows that youre serious about settling in there for the long haul.Is the job you are applying for the right one for your goals?You could deliver an incredibly thoughtful answer about the future youd like with the company but it doesnt matter if youre interviewing for a position that doesnt tee you up to get there. Do your research. Make aya that your aspirations make sense as an extension of the role you are being considered for.Are your ambitions realistic?Ambition is a double-edged sstimmt when talking about where you want to be in 5 years. You want to show that while you are ambitious, you are realistically ambitious about opportunities within the organization. If you expect to rise too fast, it communicates that you dont intend to stay in the role you are interviewing for very long but instead that you want to gather exp erience as quickly as possible and move onto greener pastures.Are you a good fit for the company culture?Try to learn everything you can about a companys culture before preparing to discuss your five-year plan. For example, some companies want to see employees focused on a single, deep area of expertise while others want employees to experience a diverse range of projects and have a broad knowledge base. Some companies want employees who are entrepreneurial and eager to own initiatives while others are more traditional.With these questions in mind you can prepare a thorough response to Where do you see yourself after 5 years? One word of warning Dont be so attached to your prepared answer that you cant adjust based on new information gleaned from the interview.How do you navigate this sticky interview question? Share your thoughts with us.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Is Your Coworker Being Passive Aggressive Or Are They Just Unaware 3 Ways to Tell

Is Your Coworker Being Passive Aggressive Or Are They Just Unaware 3 Ways to Tell Passive-aggressive interactions between coworkers sap productivity, weaken morale, and turn the schreibstube into a generally-unpleasant distributions-mix to be. And sadly, these situations are something everyone deals with no matter the industry or the workplace or the job.Its definitely possible to push back against passive-aggressive behavior and rectify the issue, but first, you need to determine that passive aggression is truly at play. Sometimes, less-than-aware colleagues take actions that seem passive-aggressive at first, but are actually the product of unawareness. By definition, passive aggression needs to be intentional but how can you tell whether your colleague is passive-aggressive or just oblivious? We found 3 surefire signs of subtle aggression to help clear things up.1. If your coworker is failing to complete required tasks without a clear explanation, its likely a passive-aggressive move.The majority of professionals would admit to occasional passive aggressive actions, from taking a seat in the conference room that you know is your colleagues favorite to using a font in your PowerPoint presentation that your coworker considers a pet peeve. But if one of your office mates frequently fails to meet her work obligations in ways that damage your productivity, thats a more severe case of passive aggression and one that needs to be addressed ASAP.Psychology Today compares these lapses in wertmiger zuwachs to a childs stubborn tantrum, and points out the problematic nature of this manifestation of passive aggression.You might have a colleague who almost always finds a way to avoid the tasks that he needs to complete. They leave the full responsibility to others or take on an assignment and then do not finish it on time, author Berit Brogaard D.M.Sci., Ph.D wrote. If this is a result of work-related stress, problems at home, or a procrastinating personality, then it m ight not be a case of passive-aggressive behavior. But if it is frequent and not obviously attributable to independent, external factors, it may be deliberate and count as passive-aggressive behavior.2. Passive-aggressive coworkers LIVE for office drama.Youd be hard-pressed to find an office employee who never takes some joy in the mini-scandals brewing in the break room on a given day. However, a coworker who truly revels in office drama and feels the need to insert themselves into any and all sordid scenarios may be exhibiting passive aggressive tendencies.Business Insider explains the connection between drama thirst and passive aggression like this Unlike their plain old aggressive counterparts, passive-aggressive colleagues dont necessarily seize a starring role in office drama. Instead they stoke tensions whenever possible theyre less like a prima donna and more like the shows producer.Basically, if you notice a colleague constantly hovering on the fringes of office intrigue t hat isnt directly their business, it makes sense to approach with caution.3. Does your colleague have trouble celebrating the successes of others? Thats a sign of passive aggression.Toxic, passive-aggressive people regularly struggle with jealousy, and in the workplace, this often emerges in petty and counterproductive ways. Even if youre on the same team as a passive aggressive colleague, this individual will likely mucksmuschenstill resent any sign that youre outperforming them, even if your triumphs result in positive yields for your cohort of employees and the company. According to the Chicago Tribune, if a co-worker starts to get the attention instead of a passive aggressive employee, their jealous tendencies may show through in ways that make them an awful presence in the office. They might express jealousy upfront or through passive-aggressive behaviors, such as sarcastically telling the employee congratulations on getting a great opportunity. At the heart of jealousy lies in security. These passive aggressive workers need to realize that their coworkers success in no way diminishes their own.Speak to your manager if you notice this behavior. It kills morale, and its not just affecting you. Seeing your successes smeared might keep your coworkers from celebrating their accomplishments or sharing their ideas. And thats not good for anyone.