Last weekend I was fortunate to be able to attend the 2017 Conference for the National Collegiate Honors Council. Taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, this conference was an awesome opportunity to hear from both professionals and students. One session I attended was about how to show honors programs are a valuable addition to a university and how different schools approach that. One program director from Western Kentucky University discussed how his philosophy is to focus on expectations and not bribing. Instead of just listing off the added benefits that being an honors program might give a student, he asks them questions. He asks students questions like whether they would want the experience or not, if they could go into the program with an open mind, and if they would want the chance to develop themselves. This is what he called the expectation approach. He wants students focused on the developmental outcomes, and not just the benefits like a nicer dorm or early class registration time. As I was listening to him speak, I think this could be applied to management. As someone who could be a hiring manager one day, I would want employees with loyalty beyond just their benefits. Although benefits are an important component of being a competitive employer, I also want employees who are committed to bettering themselves and the organization. It is important that employees look to fit the culture and mission, vision and values of their employer. These qualities will help to make hire employees who are not only a good fit for the current state of the organization, but will create growth and progress in the organization.
Professor Bonica also touched upon this theme in class the other day. He emphasized how when we are looking to get hired for an internship we should focus on what we can do for the organization and how we can solve problems. He mentioned how we should not just look to be a “pocket” addition to the staff that follows someone around but doesn’t make a real difference. This made me think about this concept from the employee side, as opposed to the employer side. One way to set yourself apart is to go above and beyond. In my internship experience, I hope to showcase my leadership skills by being a problem solver. Using my experience of what I have done in the past, I will work to continue being proactive and a valuable addition to my future place of organization. I think this sets a good foundation for wherever my future career takes me!
I'm sure you're going to be great in your internship. I'm not worried about you.
ReplyDeleteThank you!! That means a lot!
DeleteWhen interviewing for a job highlight not only your strengths, but how you feel aligned with the unique culture of that particular organization and how you can leverage all of those different aspects to create real value for the company.
ReplyDeleteYou can use this same approach when interviewing applicants for positions you need to fill.
A little interview tip (as told to me by an HR expert): as an applicant, be the person whom the interviewer would visualize enjoying being cooped up together with for a four hour drive somewhere. A quick way to evaluate whether a potential hire (or significant other) is compatible is to take a long drive together, or at least imagine doing so. My wife and I did that just a few weeks into our dating relationship, driving three hours to a large city for Christmas shopping. We were captive audiences with each other in a car and the compatibility, sense of humor, political views, comfort with occasional stretches of silence, ability to handle traffic jam frustration, etc, became readily obvious.
Thank you! I am excited to begin the interviewing process for my internship soon. I never thought about relating the idea of travel to work, but that makes sense! I'm glad to hear you and your wife had a fun trip that turned out quite well!! It makes sense as far as compatibility goes to imagine a long trip together..that would say a lot about a person!
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