How to turn negative qualities into positives during an interview

How to turn negative qualities into positives during an interviewHow to turn negative qualities into positives during an interviewIts the interview question everyone dreads What are yur weaknesses? Its a tough one to answer well. You dont want to point out flaws that could prevent you from getting the job, but you dont want to give a generic response. You also cant avoid answering the question altogether, as much as youd like to.Instead, you should prepare ahead of time so youcan answer this question well. With the right response, you can reframe your negatives into positives and show that youre willing to improve yourself in order to succeed. What employer wouldnt want a kollektiv member like that? Now, thats an easy question to answer.Here some common weakness cited in interviews - and how to reframe them in the most favorable light possible.Time managementMany professionals struggle with time management. If you find it challenging to complete your to-do list within the eight-hour workday, you can tell your potential employer this. Just make sure you follow that up by sharing the ways in which youre working to improve things.Of course, this response is dependent upon the fact that youre taking those positive strides. There are plenty ofmethods to overcome your poor time-management skills. Pinpointing the most critical tasks of the day and tackling those first or keeping your workspace organized to avoid delays are two ways to do it. Implement a tactic and let your potential employer know - theyll be impressed by your efforts to change.ShynessAnother con to point to - as long as your job doesnt depend on your charisma - your inherent shyness. Its not your fault youre timid, since everyones personalities are programmed differently. However, in your line of work, it might be a flaw to be a bit shy, especially if your colleagues are all outspoken and confident.Its easy to turn this one into a positive, though. Simply tell your interviewer that youve been taking strides to boost your self-esteem, which has made you more confident to speak up and step out of your shell. You canmake friends as an introvert, of course, so long as you take things slow and bond with one person at a time. Learning how to do that will make you less shy and therefore more prepared for the job ahead.PerfectionismAnother workplace weakness you might experience is the fact that youre never happy with the work you finish. Instead, youre incredibly critical of yourself and strive for perfection, although you never feel like you reach it. This is a routine answer to the question, and some interviewees might think theyre good to stop with that answer. However, Im a perfectionist doesnt entirely cut it.Avoid the clich by pointing to a specific obstacle that stems from your perfectionism rather than using it as a way to show off your attention to detail.Let the interviewer know youre working on accepting the accomplishments and accolades you receive. Perfectionism might aff ect your self-esteem now, but you should note that youre improving it so you can be satisfied when you work hard on something and turn it in. Youre good at what you do, after all, so you should be confident in it.ProcrastinationProcrastination varies slightly from time management. While the latter has to do with ordering your tasks so you complete whats important first, the former will have you putting off all your to-dos because youre not mentally prepared to begin. Although this seems like an insurmountable negative, there are ways to frame your response that will put you in a positive light.Note that your greatest weakness is to procrastinate before springing into the explanation of how youre working to fix that.One way to break the habitis to divide a goal into actionable tasks so the entire project doesnt seem so daunting. Find the tools you need to overcome procrastination before the interview and point to how much theyre helping you when this question rolls around.StressIts n atural to feel stress in the workplace. However, the feeling might be so strong within you that its a weakness. This is especially true if your job is deadline-focused - date-related stress is something that can affect the work you do, as well as the way you interact with your coworkers. Dont let stress hold you back from attaining your goals. Instead, find ways for it to make you a better worker.You can tell your boss how much stress you have experienced in the past and how youve come up with ways to battle the feeling. Do you exercise now? Do you give yourself breaks in your workday? Have you improved your time-management skills or lowered your perfectionist bar so you can easily turn things in? These are important to note, because they show that you stress because you care - but you also realize youre at your best when youre cool, calm and collected.Answer the question wellIn reframing behauptung negatives as positives, youre sure to answer this tough interview question well. You ll avoid common mistakes, too - some people try to spin positive traits as negative ones, while others refuse to answer or dont have a response at the ready. Coming into your interview with a thoughtful, honest and smart answer will only improve your standing - and boost the chance that youll be offered the job.Subscribe to thePunched Clocks newsletterfor more career advice from Sarah.How to turn negative qualities into positives during an interviewPerhaps youve been applying for jobs for weeks or months (or even years) or maybe youd just been passively browsing and came across that one job that looked like destiny staring you in the eye and went ahead and threw your name into the hat.When stars align, you get what you were hoping for you land an in-person interview.Now the ball is in your court. What are some key things you should be doing to prepare?Heres our perspective talking about the things youre great at and all the things youve accomplished is easy. Talking about your deve lopment opportunities and mistakes youve made in the past is hard. So, while preparing for the interview in its entirety is important, preparing to turn negatives into positives should be at the top of your pre-interview to-do list.The good news is that it is possible. You can do it. Heres a step by step guide to turning negatives into positives during a job interview settingStep 1 Anticipate the negativesFirst, consider the negatives that might likely come up during your interview. Everybody should anticipate being asked something along the lines of What are your weaknesses? or What are the areas you need most improvement? And then beyond that, if any of these less-than-ideal things apply to you and are easy to uncover, you should anticipate questions from your interviewer around why youleft a job on unfavorable termswere involuntary terminatedhave a short average duration of employment in many or several consecutive positionshave problems with your credit report or background scre enhave unfinished degree programsYou can use online employer review platforms like kununu to research the employer in advance this might give you a heads up ontheir favorite interview questions.Consider which of these may apply in your situation and then move on to step 2.Step 2 ReframeNow, start considering how your negatives can be reframed in a positive light. Remember, the only failures are those that dont result in learning and growth. Focus on how your past mistakes have shaped and molded you as an employee. Here are some examplesWhat is your greatest weakness?I tend to be easily distracted, so I have had to develop systems and habits that promote focus and follow-through. Ive found that this attribute contributes to my success in rapidly changing environments because I enjoy the shifts.Can you explain why were you terminated from the position you held at Company 4?I was irresponsible in that role. I wish I could say that I regret my actions, but I think those circumstances we re such a necessary part of my growth and learning. That negative experience served as a turning point for me and youll see that Ive been promoted twice in my current company because of what I learned.Youve only been at each job for 1-2 years. Why the short duration?Every transition has been made in an effort to best contribute my talents and experiences in meaningful roles. I first transitioned into non-profit to follow my heart and stay true to my core values. Then I was recruited by an animal rescue, which brought me even closer to my career goals. And then I saw this position and it was everything Ive wanted to do in my career so I dove in head first.The most important rules to remember and make no excuses and place no blame. Blaming prior employers or your childhood and making excuses for your choices can give the interview team the impression that you wont take accountability for your actions in this role, either.Step 3 RehearseOnce youve considered the negatives that might ar ise and planned out a response to each which reframes it in a positive way, rehearse your answers over and over again. This will improve your confidence and make it easy to answer each question in a natural, empowered way impressing the interview team and hopefully landing the right role at the right time.Happy interviewingThis article was originally published on Kununu.com.

Unhappy After Six Months How to Troubleshoot Chronic Job Hopping

Unhappy After Six Months How to Troubleshoot Chronic Job HoppingUnhappy After Six Months How to Troubleshoot Chronic Job HoppingFor most people, the job hunt itself is stressful. Its hard to get your resume just right. Its hard to get the interview.The offer is even harder.For others, though, the process is a little too easy. They blast through the job hunt process and accept the new offer, only to find themselves unhappy and looking within six months.We all make mistakes, so realizing a job isnt a good fit early on isnt a bad thing. However, if you find yourself falling into a pattern of accepting jobs and becoming quickly dissatisfied, it may signal a mismatch of expectations and goals.If that sounds like you, here are four questions you should ask yourself during your job hunt to help you zero in on an opportunity you will actually enjoy1. Where do I fit in?Finding the right culture fit can be very difficult. And that often contributes to high turnover and job-hopping as you figur e out what you like and dont like. It makes sense that this would be difficult because its hard to get a true feel for a companys culture from an hour-long interview.For this task, you have two tools at your disposal. First, use your computer to investigate each companys employer brand. This will give you a sense of how the company approaches its culture and how you would fit in before you take the tour. You can also set an expectation for the environment itself and see how it measures up to your in-rolle interview.Second, Simply Hireds recent partnership with eHarmony offers a tool to track down job opportunities based on culture fit rather than location or openings. Check it out.2. Who do I enjoy working with?You need to find your people whom can help you enjoy a working day and de-stress when the day is done. Take a piece of paper and consider all of your former coworkers. Who did you connect with right away? Who did you have trouble connecting with? Try to see beyond roles and p ositions and into character and personality. Write down the traits that come to you and use that list to help you identify the right work environment for you.For example, perhaps you felt very closely connected to several people in different offices because of a random shared hobby of bike racing. Why not connect with a local bike racing group and see where the happiest people work? You dont need to follow their lead and apply to their company, but you may discover some actionable trends that you can apply to your own job hunt, such as everyone working at small companies, large companies or startups. Thats the kind of hint that can help you pursue a job you can enjoy beyond a few months.3. Who do I want to serve?Every job is a service job. Whether youre on the executive team or in the warehouse, the ultimate purpose of your job is to help the companys customer do something better. Who do you actually want to help? Which industries and causes speak to you? You may not end up in a non profit because of this desire, but it can help you identify groups of people you want to serve that will help you connect with the job youre doing.For example, if you love pets and animals, consider looking for work in an industry related to them. Look at corporate positions at companies such as Petco or Care.com, or use Simply Hireds custom search for dog-friendly companies. Working a job like accounting or account executive will be easier if your values align with the companys overall mission.What is this company really offering?If you follow these steps and identify a great opportunity, dont jump on it just yet. If all of these values align, it still might not be the right opportunity for you. Be careful about assessing the opportunity and the responsibilities accurately to make sure that the reality will align with your expectations of the position.To better align your expectations with the day-to-day, ask every question that comes to mind. Ask about the jobs responsibilities, d aily schedule and biggest frustrations. Ask why the last person moved on or what this role is typically like five years from now.Give the interviewer every opportunity to paint a detailed picture of the position so that you are well-informed about the downsides as well as the upsides. You may hesitate to cause a fuss in an interview, but this works both ways. HR managers want to connect with thoughtful, confident employees who want to work for them. Asking questions in a professional and respectful manner will establish your transparent and detailed work ethic.Have you taken a new job only to find out its not a good fit a few months in? Leave a note in the comments to share how you plan to avoid this scenario the next time around.

Donald N Zwiep

Donald N Zwiep Donald N Zwiep Donald N. ZwiepYou know the saying, Those who can, do, and those who cant, teach. If you think it rings true, then you clearly know leidhing about the life of mechanical engineering educator Donald N. Zwiep, whose life offers substantial proof that when it comes to doing and teaching, you shouldnt have one without the other.Donald N. Zwiep was born in Hull, IA, in 1924 to Daniel and Nellie Zwiep, who immigrated from the Netherlands in 1905 and 1907, respectively. He was the youngest of six children, and after completing his secondary school education, he served in WWII as a B-24 pilot and crew commander, completing 59 missions in India and China by the wars end.Upon his return to the U.S., Zwiep received his B.S. (1948) and M.S. (1951) from Iowa State College in mechanical engineering. While in school, he married Marcia Hubers of Orange City, IA, (they went on to have four children), and after completing his Masters he moved with his wife and children to Colorado AM College to take up a post as a professor of metallurgy. Zwiep taught in the mechanical engineering department there until he joined the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, MA, in 1957, as a professor and chair of the mechanical engineering department.Zwiep was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1965 from WPI, an acknowledgment of the leading role he had begun to play in revitalizing its engineering program. Zwiep helped found WPIs management engineering department as a way to reinvigorate an educational environment he and his coauthor William W. Durgin of Educating Engineering Students in Entrepreneurship characterized as one in which each student was essentially an isolated learner and thus did not develop the personal interaction skills, shared learning experiences, or the oral and written communication skills associated with effective professional practice. Chafing against the rigidity of the WPI engineering curriculum, Zwiep and others sought reforms t hat would produce a new breed of engineer, who knew not only engineering but was also conversant enough with business, finance, and government to pursue engineering objectives that easily fit within a real world context.In 1970, Zwiep helped WPI continue its evolution with the establishment of the WPI Plan, which significantly changed the degree requirements. An integral part of the effort to return WPI to its original entrepreneurial roots, the plan moved WPIs undergraduate curriculum toward a project-based approach that required students to complete a project in their field of study as well as another related to science and technology that addressed specific societal concern and human needs. Zwiep and Durgin cited the increased numbers of WPI graduate start-ups ranging from garment companies servicing the aerospace industry to biotech firms as proof that their effort to foster a new breed of entrepreneur had been a success.Over the next 20 years, Zwiep further advanced this cause in his role as the advisor to the WPI Project Center, which opened in Washington, D.C., and then in 1982, when he was appointed director and chairman of WPIs Manufacturing Engineering Applications Center. Subsequently, he also served as acting provost and vice president for academic affairs.Thanks to Zwieps energy and industry his reputation grew beyond WPI. From 1987 to 1990, he was former Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakiss appointee to the Board of Directors for the Center of Applied Technology for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. And upon his retirement in 1990, Zwiep maintained his investment in the educational ideals that shaped his WPI career via his involvement in student projects in London, at the Technical University at Delft, The Netherlands, and at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, and Johnson Space Center in Houston. He was also hired by the Taiwan, Chinese government to review the state of Taiwan, Chinas technical educational system and was an in vited visitor to the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology.An ASME member since 1947 as well as its president during its centennial year (1979-80), Zwiep, directed some of his reformist fervor to reshaping the Societys rules of governance and worked to strengthen its international ties by forming groundbreaking affiliations with mechanical engineering societies in Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines.In 2004, Zwiep received his Honorary Member award, which is conferred on those who have made distinctive contributions to engineering, science, industry, research, public service, or other pursuits allied with and beneficial to the engineering profession in 2004. He was the first person from WPI thus honored. In recognition of his friend and colleagues achievement Durgin saidOne of Dons greatest strengths is that of planting a seed and then letting events take their course. This ability stems, of course, from his fantastic ability to see opportunities and his unfailing belief in people , especially mechanical engineers. There is no one who exemplifies mechanical engineering education more than Don Zwiep.Zwiep died on April 14, 2012, in Naples, FL, at the age of 88.Marion Hart is an independent writer.An ASME member since 1947 as well as its president during its centennial year (1979 80), Zwiep, directed some of his reformist fervor to reshaping the Societys rules of governance and worked to strengthen its international ties.