“92% of adults fear job interviews”
(Job Interview Anxiety Study, conducted by Harris)
In the last four weeks every person who has applied for a job and talked through their iAM in detail as part of an interview has got it. Now of course, I can only talk about the people who have let me know! But this just goes to show that when you are being yourself, sharing who you are and confident to be you that you are seen as fresh, competent and attractive in the workplace.
So, should we not lay ourselves bare more often? Including when we are not looking for a job! What the candidates are doing by sharing their iAM in depth is saying;
- I have real self-awareness.
- I understand my unique strengths.
- I am not like everyone else.
- I work with authenticity.
- I am not a conformist with a professional mask.
- I have confidence in who I am.
- I appreciate that others are unique and different to me.
- I am real and approachable.
Wouldn’t we all like to work with people like this all the time! Well we can. Once we are all of ourselves at work, our best selves, our iAM.
10 years ago, I sat in the reception of a UK customer who was running late and to pass the time I wrote a poem. It has been hanging on the wall of our UK Discovery Centre reception room for many years. When we went into lockdown here at the end of March, I brought it home. It hangs on the wall behind where I work and if you Zoom with me, you’ll see it. Many people have asked that I share the poem so that they can actually read it. Here is a picture of it;
So many of us feel not good enough, that we have to portray a certain image or professionalism or be like others to be seen as great at work. But all of the answers lie within you. Yes, we all have challenging behaviours because of our habits, reactions and insecurities at times. But our iAM is all good. We can be all good. Who you are is your uniqueness. So, whether you are applying for a job, leading a team, inspiring customers or creating new ideas and products at work, bring your uniqueness to how you do it. People buy people. People will buy you!