Career Advancement Archives

Checklist for managing your boss – Navigating work relationships

16/08/2023 By Alexis del Río

A successful relationship with your boss doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intention, understanding, and mutual respect. Here’s a comprehensive checklist to help you manage your relationship with your boss effectively:

Building a harmonious relationship with your boss isn’t a one-time task. It’s an ongoing effort that requires understanding, flexibility, and proactive actions

Deeply understand their goals and objectives

Grasp what motivates them on both professional and personal levels.

Know their strengths and weaknesses

Understand where they shine and where they might need support.
Offer assistance in areas where they might struggle, but do it subtly, without making them feel undermined.

Identify their blind spots

Introduce them to perspectives they might not see.
Collaborate to find solutions that consider these blind spots.

Assess yourself

Recognize your strengths and how they can benefit your role and support your boss.
Address your weaknesses, asking for feedback when needed.
Examine how you typically interact with authority figures to ensure a balanced dynamic.

Develop a mutual relationship

Tailor the relationship to both your styles and needs.
Ensure mutual respect and keep your boss updated about important matters.
Be reliable, honest, and respect their time. This means being prepared for meetings and being concise.

Open and regular communication

Learn how your boss prefers to communicate and how often.
Be upfront about challenges and always suggest potential solutions.

Adaptability and alignment

Adjust to their preferred working and communication styles.
Prioritize tasks that support their main goals.

Anticipate needs and take initiative

Address issues before they become problems.
Showcase your commitment by suggesting initiatives beneficial to the team or company.

Personalize relationship

Bond over shared experiences or interests, but always keep professional boundaries.

Constructive handling of conflicts

Tackle disagreements maturely, focusing on finding solutions instead of pointing fingers.

Continual professional development

Look for growth opportunities regularly, highlighting your dedication to your role and the company.

Understand their pressure

Be compassionate about the challenges they face and offer support when possible.

Building a harmonious relationship with your boss isn’t a one-time task. It’s an ongoing effort that requires understanding, flexibility, and proactive actions. When you understand both your and your boss’s strengths and weaknesses, and consistently communicate and adapt, you lay the foundation for a relationship that benefits both of you.

How to write a winning CV that leads you to an interview

19/07/2023 By Alexis del Río

A well-structured and detailed CV is your ticket to land an interview. It is the first thing employers see and should effectively showcase your skills, experience, and achievements. Here’s how to write a compelling CV:

As you construct your CV, remember that the goal is to make it as easy as possible for the employer to see that you have the qualifications they’re looking for. This often means tailoring your CV for each job you apply for to highlight the most relevant skills and experiences.

About me

This summary gives the hiring manager or HR professional a snapshot of your skills and experiences relevant to the position you’re applying for. Mention your experience, notable projects, and appropriate leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. This is also a good place to highlight your unique selling proposition (USP), including your behavioral style and top values contributing to your professional identity.

Work experience

Include your role title, company name, and the time you held each position (MM-YYYY to MM-YYYY). Highlight your key responsibilities, achievements, and the impact you made in each role. For instance, as a marketing manager, you might discuss how you developed and executed marketing strategies that boosted brand awareness by 30%. Also, demonstrate your competencies derived from your unique decision-making style, like if you’re an analytical decision-maker, highlight your attention to detail and problem-solving skills.

Achievement

Your experience summary should focus on the impact you made in previous roles. For instance, a software developer might highlight their programming language expertise and contributions to successful software applications. Quantify your successes where possible.

Skills

List the technical skills and abilities you’ve gained throughout your career that align with the job you’re applying for. These could include proficiency in software development languages, web design skills, project management expertise, etc. Showcase both hard and soft skills, and ensure that these align with your professional achievements and decision-making styles.

Education

Detail your degrees, the institutions where you earned them, and the years you attended. Include significant coursework or projects relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Certifications or linceses

If you hold any relevant professional certifications or licenses for the job, be sure to include them.

Volunteer work or internships

These experiences demonstrate your commitment, and skills and provide additional experiences that may be relevant to the job, especially valuable for recent graduates or people new to a particular field.

Publication or presentations

Include this information if you’ve published work or given professional presentations demonstrating expertise in your field.

Professional affiliations

Mention any membership in professional organizations. If you hold positions of responsibility within these organizations, be sure to include that as well.

References

You don’t need to list references on your CV, but you could note that they’re available upon request.

Hobbies and interests

While not always necessary, sometimes these can give a potential employer insight into your personality and balance out your professional achievements.

Languages

Note any additional languages you speak and your proficiency level in each. This could be an asset in today’s global marketplace.

Lastly, while not a section of the CV, it’s critical to proofread your CV for any grammatical errors or typos. These mistakes could leave a negative impression on potential employers. Using online grammar tools or asking someone else to proofread your CV can help ensure it’s free of errors.

Don’t forget to check out our guide, ‘Comprehensive Interview Tips to Land Your Dream Job,’ for more useful advice on your job search journey.

Eight fundamental competencies required to overcome adversity

08/06/2023 By Alexis del Río

In 1961, during the “Space Race,” NASA acquired the IBM 7090 mainframe, a groundbreaking computing system that revolutionized data processing. This innovation profoundly impacted human computers and mathematicians who performed complex calculations. One remarkable individual, Dorothy Vaughan, stood out as a human-computer supervisor for a team of African-American women. She not only adapted to the advancements but also troubleshoot the IBM 7090 mainframe when even IBM engineers struggled. Dorothy’s achievements led to her promotion as the supervisor of the Programming Department, with her team following her leadership.

Change is an inevitable part of life, and the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a significant disruptor, affecting millions worldwide. It has caused disruptions in social patterns, systems, and livelihoods. As we navigate through such uncertain times, developing specific competencies to persevere and thrive effectively becomes essential.

Throughout my observations, research, and professional experience, I have identified several invaluable competencies to navigate and overcome adversity successfully. These competencies are essential not only during the pandemic but also in various challenging situations:

Self-awareness is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing journey of self-discovery and growth.

1. Stress tolerance

Stress tolerance is the ability to remain calm, focused, and positive despite facing adverse circumstances and emotional challenges. For example, a leader who can maintain composure and make clear decisions during a crisis inspires confidence and helps guide their team through uncertainty.

2. Impulse control

Impulse control is the psychological ability to manage urges for immediate gratification, allowing for better adaptability, relationship development, and future planning. An individual with strong impulse control may resist the temptation to engage in impulsive spending during financial hardships, enabling them to maintain financial stability and make strategic decisions.

3. Reality testing

Reality testing involves seeing and assessing situations objectively, acknowledging the actual circumstances rather than our subjective desires or perceptions. For instance, a business owner who objectively assesses market trends and customer needs can adapt their offerings and strategies accordingly, increasing their chances of success.

4. Emotional self-awareness

Emotional self-awareness is the capacity to skillfully identify and align our emotions, enabling better adaptability, self-control, and understanding of their impact on others. A leader with high emotional self-awareness can effectively manage their emotions during stressful times and empathize with the feelings of their team members, fostering a supportive work environment.

5. Self-actualization

Self-actualization involves continuously improving oneself, pursuing personal growth, and working towards fulfilling one’s life purpose, reaching the pinnacle of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. For example, an individual who actively seeks opportunities for personal and professional development sets challenging goals and strives to reach their full potential exhibits self-actualization.

6. Grit

Grit embodies the mental drive, courage, passion, perseverance, and strength during extreme adversity, displaying unwavering determination to achieve objectives. An athlete who consistently pushes through physical and mental barriers maintains focus, and continues training despite setbacks exemplifies grit.

7. Perseverance

Perseverance is the ability and determination to continue pursuing goals despite challenging circumstances, demonstrating consistent steadfastness. A student who faces academic challenges but remains committed to their education seeks support when needed and persistently works towards their educational goals, showcasing perseverance.

8. Resilience

Resilience refers to the mental and emotional strength to cope with crises and bounce back to pre-crisis psychological states, bolstered by a surplus of positivity. For instance, an entrepreneur who experiences a business failure but learns from the experience adapts their strategy, and approaches the next venture with renewed determination demonstrates resilience.

Incorporating these fundamental competencies empowers individuals to navigate uncertain times

Managing your talent through self-awareness

12/01/2023 By Alexis del Río

In this competitive world we live in today; it’s crucial to harness our innate abilities to achieve professional success. In this article, I share my unique perspective on boosting your career by understanding your strengths and enhancing self-awareness.

Embracing the power of self-awareness to optimize our strengths is a transformative journey that unlocks our true potential and propels us toward unparalleled career growth.

An unexpected question in a performance review

One question particularly caught my attention during a performance review with a former employer: “What methodology do you use to do such great work?” The inquiry complimented my contribution towards securing a complicated deal, despite juggling multiple roles.

My response was simple: I didn’t follow a specific methodology. Instead, I applied a combination of project management techniques, relevant training, and past experience to respond swiftly to dynamic demands. This strategy was based on utilizing my natural talents over learned skills, a realization that dawned upon me gradually during my career.

From realization to transformation

This awakening led me to a critical decision – to channel my efforts toward honing my natural talents and delegate tasks that were not within my strengths. Considering my professional journey was dotted with mistakes and missed opportunities, it wasn’t an easy decision. However, this decision sparked an introspective journey toward self-awareness.

Through targeted coaching and mentoring, I acknowledged my blind spots and developed the understanding to elevate my professional conduct. Recognizing my natural talents was a revelation, and according to a Gallup survey, individuals who use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged at work. Therefore, I highly recommend others seek this revelation for their career advancement.

The power of teamwork and sharing responsibilities

I was fortunate to be part of a team that understood the benefits of sharing responsibilities. I did tasks for my colleagues that they didn’t excel at while they did functions that came more naturally to me. This approach enabled us to excel in our respective areas of expertise and maximize our natural talents. It also helped build a strong team that supported one another.

Identifying natural talents: A step towards success

Frequently, individuals hop between jobs, hunting for the perfect fit. However, enhancing self-awareness and understanding your strengths can bolster relationships and give you a competitive edge. A personal strengths profile assessment like TRIPA offers a comprehensive 360° psychographic view, aiding individuals to illuminate their strengths and set themselves apart from their peers.

For those who wish to explore self-awareness and talent management further, please dive into some of our related articles here. You may also be interested in the article “The importance of goal setting and planning for success.”

Make the invisible visible

In the process of understanding and managing your talent, you can truly “make the invisible visible.” By recognizing and leveraging our innate strengths, we can become more self-aware and more successful in our professional lives.