Disruption happens every day across the corporate world. As employees, we experience reorgs, layoffs and acquisitions, and as disrupters ourselves we move cross country, chase ideas and challenge norms. But amidst all the disruption we all experience, some of us seem to thrive in times of turmoil.

These are the communicators who have mastered the two secret arts hidden within corporate disruption: learning how to establish a compelling brand and build an intriguing career narrative. They are skills that take time to perfect, but they’re the differentiator factors between those who are cast adrift from disruption and those who prosper from it.

We believe in this strongly...and it’s why we wrote our latest book: Disrupted! How to Reset Your Brand & Your Career.

But don’t just take our word for it. On this episode, Hurst Williamson is joined by 2 Talent Acquisition specialists to share their perspectives on the trends they see every day and what makes a job candidate successful…or forgettable.

More About the Guests

Elisa Abner-Taschwer is the Talent Acquisition Manager at FORUM Credit Union in Fishers, Indiana. She has over 30 years of HR experience, primarily in Talent Acquisition. Elisa lives with her husband of 27 years and their Mini Golden Doodle, Max.

Lauren Baksh, M.Ed. is the Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at Graphic Packaging International. She has over ten years of talent management experience in the manufacturing industry and currently supports her team with the design and executi

Show Notes

• Careers are no longer on a straight and narrow path.
• • People will change their job/career 7-10 times throughout their career.
  • Interview determines if there will be a next change in a person's career.What does it take to make a job a candidate memorable or forgettable?

• What percentage of people are good at interviewing?
  • Less than 5%
  • Not as many people are good at interviewing that think they are good at interviewing.
  • Those that think they are good at interviewing usually lack authenticity.

 

• What goes wrong in an interview?
  • Lack of prep - didn’t know much about the company or the interviewer.
  • Lacked confidence - unaware of body language.
  • Lacked impact - didn’t understand their experiences well.
  • Prospective employee must be interviewing the company as well as being interviewed by the company.
  • Preparation will help a candidate seal the deal.
  • Good story tellers have better impact in an interview.

 

• Virtual vs. In-Person Interviews
  • Same challenges exist in a virtual interview as an in person interview.
  • Candidates see virtual as more informal and have a low awareness of their setting and background.
  • Fewer people ghost virtual interviews.

 

• When prepping for a virtual interview, consider it the same as if you are going to meet with someone - dress professionally.
• Potential employers encourage prospective employees to ask questions about the attire and the platform being used to the interview.
• How many resumes for a potential position are reviewed? 
  • Far too many
  • 20-30+ resumes for an open position
  • 30-50 resumes

 

• What really makes a candidate stand out?
  • Individuals who understand the organization and the culture.
  • Candidates with confidence in themselves and the ability to have a good vision as to what they want in their new position.
  • Candidates must be a good cultural fit.
  • Candidates must ask questions in the interview and understand the opportunity.

 

• The most critical skills for a top candidate:
  • Problem solving and thinking.
  • Collaboration and cooperation.
  • Communication and influence.

• Advice to stand-out in interviews:
  • Translate the experience you had with the job you want to do. Think about things that you’ve done that have given you that experience.
  • Update your resume annually and add accomplishments from the previous years.
  • Highlight how you work on a team.

• Candidates approach an interview very reactively.
  • Understand the resume is a list - make sure to drive the interview and conversation.
  • Have a reactive and proactive interview.
  • Be prepared to  highlight your key aspects.
  • Be able to shape your narrative and asked questions about the company while staying authentic.
  • Come with questions to make it a conversation.

 

• Employers are looking for people that want to work for the company not the job.
• Is there a war for talent? It’s a very favorable market for talent right now.
• Companies are trying to be the company that people want to join and understand that not all candidates are going to have 100% of the skills that are being looked for in a candidate. 
• Candidates must show up as their authentic self.
• Employees own their development and the company and their manager are there to support the individual. Take a risk and it might change!