When you attend an interview, your interviewer doesn't just want to know what you do well. An interview can turn into a "skite fest" where all we do is tell them what they will be missing if they don't hire us, this is a struggle for those that are humble, introverted or just don't like to talk about their achievements.
As an experienced interviewer, I want to know what didn't go well and what the applicant learned from it. Its important to note that no human is perfect. Learning from our mistakes is what actually makes us human. Having perspective, patience and self awareness are skills I will put above someone who has never faced adversity.
Consider this story below;
The Farmer and the Donkey
One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway-it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all of his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off, and take a step up.
The main message to this story is key to us learning about a challenge or failure. When you are dealt a harsh blow, how does this effect us. How do we pull ourselves back up, brush ourselves off and start over with a new plan? It may be too early for some to talk about the All Blacks in their World Cup Final game recently, but that last game will be seen as a failure by some, a success by others and a learning curve by those that show resilience.
Disappointment is a given in life at times, we try our best and sometimes we don't reach the goal we had, but if we take a step back and learn, sometimes our failures are the best thing that has happened to us.
The All Blacks as a great example, will use this loss to one day give them perspective in other failures. There are some that will never get another chance to win that trophy and have to live with it as it stands.
When you are asked about a challenging time, conflict, pressure or failure in an interview use this as a great opportunity to show how this has shaped you for the better. Your self reflection is vital to improvement.
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