How to build an Olympic Attitude

What can we learn from watching the Olympics? Especially if you’re a regular person without athletic talent, what do you share with Olympic athletes? You don't have to be an Olympian to have the same kind of attitude, but you do have to work hard, and believe:

Set goals regarding your performance

• Focus on what is doable first. Make phone calls to friends and other job seekers to build your confidence. Then make phone calls to new contacts using what you learned from your practice. Then schedule networking meeting to grow your network into your job.

Plan for the event (The Interview)

• Find triggers or common questions which will help you stay focused on your performance during the interview. Then rehearse and practice. Do what Olympic athletes do and visualize yourself going through the the interview.

Your performance does not define your self-worth  

• Separate your self-worth from your performance. Putting the two together puts enormous pressure on the event and and makes it difficult to do well. You are not your performance; you are always you regardless of the score at the end of the day.

Relive your Successes

• Use your success stories; visualize the events and achievements. Remember how you felt and thought. You have done fantastic things in your career. Refer back to your success stories often so that you relive the experience.

Dump your ego, you’re only human

• If not, you won't allow yourself to do things that make you look bad, and in the end, that avoidance will keep you from getting better. Human beings learn from mistakes by making changes--often little changes which lead to achievements.

Temporary disappointments are normal (Except for Cubs fans; then it’s not temporary)

• Nobody's perfect, stuff happens. Know that you will make mistakes and mess up the interview or meeting, but let them slide, and focus on the next one.

Laugh often and laugh out loud!

• When it gets hard... laugh. Dump the negative and find something to laugh about. As I always tell my clients and audiences: "If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right!"

"How to build an Olympic Attitude" is inspired by Peter Haberl, United States Olympic Committee sports psychologist

"I really liked him, but..."

On the way out to my next appointment, the manager stopped me to ask me what we were talking about. I had been working with a client at a local Caribou Coffee shop discussing  networking and interviewing techniques. She over heard me making a point to my client. 

Maria told me that they had a Job Fair the other weekend from 9:00 to 1:00 and 30 people came in to fill out applications and interview. She shared with me some of her experiences from the Job Fair and as a manager interviewing candidates. 

She had one young fellow that was really sharp and had really great answers to all of her questions. She really liked him and would have hired him but... he was wearing a baseball hat backwards during the interview. She went on to tell me that they have a uniform at Caribou and she doubted that he would respect the uniform. 

Maria told me to her, little things really matter - a lot! How someone dresses, do they have a pen and a copy of their resume all shout to her about the person's attitude. "If they're not prepared for the interview, how prepared will they be on the job?"

Maria shared with me a frustration she has with professionals in transition. These folks may have had big jobs managing big budgets or departments; in the interview they talk about what they did in the past job without consideration of what she is looking for. She's looking for people who can make a year or more commitment and can demonstrate customer service and teamwork skills.

It's important for folks to remember that it may be a survival job to you, but to the interviewer it is their career. What messages are being sent? The interviewer may be looking for punctuality and dependability, and feel patronized when the discussion moves to how you managed a million dollar budget.

This is not dumbing down your resume, it's presenting your skills and abilities in response to the interviewer's needs. It's putting your focus on the job and not on your needs  or making yourself feel important. 

So, if it's a survival job your looking at or even the next step in your career remember everyone's favorite radio station is WII-FM. (What's in it for me!) Play the songs and tell the stories they want to hear. Be prepared to make a favorable impression by presenting yourself in a positive light.

Good hunting...