“These bruises make for better conversation.....” is a line from a song by Train (feat. Ashley Monroe). Hearing it recently got me thinking about my prior work experiences, including some that went well and others that still make me cringe.
As we’re navigating career transitions out in the real world, it is assumed we focus on the good stuff and brush over the less than ideal work experiences. But let’s face it, not every job is perfect. Deep down, we all know that.
Here’s the thing: bruises and scars generally come with an interesting story tied to trying something new. For example, determining if you can actually jump that ditch with your dirt bike. I’d like to think you will not be penalized for having tried something new, even if it ended differently than you’d expected. As most professionals can appreciate, the real story is in understanding what you did with the information you learned from the not-so-stellar work experience.
How a person overcame a difficult situation and knew when a situation wasn’t going to work is the juiciest part. It really does make for better conversation. When an interviewer asks you about your greatest weakness, they are not looking for the generic, non informative “I am too detail oriented” or the “I work too hard...” replies. It’s okay to be honest here! Let them know that you are a human being. Everyone has flaws, including the person you are interviewing with. Identifying your strengths and weakness is part of this process. Before you share your story in an interview, I recommend you embrace the cuts and bruises you experienced throughout your career. Be able to discuss them as a learning experience. Think about them as the hardest teacher you ever had, but the one you remember and still hold respect for.
Bruises make for good stories....think about growing up. You get hit by a ball once, and the next time, you know to duck. When you make a mistake a work, you know how to handle it the next time around. Someone who can learn from their mistakes is a very valuable asset. Especially if the learning process was embraced.
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