Feedback can be a tough thing to give and especially receive. On the one hand, we want feedback so we can improve and become closer to the person we imagine ourselves to be. On the other hand, feedback is not for the faint of heart. Feedback can open you up to things that may, or may not, tell you what you already know. But knowing and claiming a particular attribute or quality, good or bad, can be vastly different things.
Benefits of Feedback
There’s no question that the job market is tough right now. Competition is rampant and the higher the title and the compensation, the tougher the competition will be. In such an environment, receiving honest feedback might be one way to improve and to stand out from the competition.
- The Candidate Resume – Writing a resume for yourself can be difficult. It can be hard to articulate your talents and skills in a way that will help you stand out because it’s just something you do. You may not recognize how unique or special a talent or skill really is. Ask someone else if your resume succinctly conveys your top talents or if there could be a better way to say something.
- The Job Recruiter – Your recruiter is an especially important part of your hiring journey. First-off, a staffing member should be well-versed in the company and the position. This will help provide the best possible match between the candidate, the culture and the role. If an interview doesn’t go well, ask the recruiter where you can improve, so the next interview is better.
- The Response – Most of us don’t enjoy hearing ourselves talk. Therefore, we spend little time thinking about how our responses sound to others. A polite conversation is about give and take – with listening being a critical element. Your response(s) can make or break an interview and will often decide if you’ll be invited on to the next round. Practice interview questions with a family member or friend and ask for feedback. If you’re not comfortable asking for assistance, record your answers on your phone. This can be a good listening exercise to expand on an answer or find a place to pause for more information. Networking events can also be a fantastic way to practice conversation skills in a relaxed environment.
- The Reply – Sometimes it can feel like the job process is sending applications into a black hole. Collaborating with a recruiter who emphasizes the human element can make a dramatic difference. This is an opportunity to tell the recruiter why you’re seeking a particular job. Recruiting processes that rely on AI do not have the ability to learn why someone looks to change their industry or why they might want to take a step back in their career path.
Staffing Kansas City focuses on a one-on-one relationship with clients and candidates to create a “win-win-win” for all.
