Mark Anthony Dyson, Author at The Voice of Job Seekers

Job Lesson From Dad: Son, Confidence Will Give You Life Right Now

Confidence, in my opinion, can serve two purposes in anyone’s career. While teens are working, or seek work, they need to know the difference between confidence, and cockiness. They hear words like swagger (“swagga” for some), and think by walking, talking, and thinking boastfully will exude an attractive persona to employers. This is true if the job description calls for intimidating the face-to-face opponent.

cock·y

¹ [kok-ee] Show IPA

adjective, cock·i·er, cock·i·est.

arrogant; pertly self-assertive; conceited: He walked in with a cocky air.

There was a phrase in the ‘50’s (so I’m told) for cocky young men as, “…he’s smelling himself.” A cocky young man is trying to compensate for weaknesses or missing key attributes. He wants to show the world what he has to offer is as good, or better, than anyone else’s.

con·fi·dence/ˈkänfidəns/

Noun:

The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust: “we had every confidence in the staff”.
The state of feeling certain about the truth of something.

trust – faith – reliance – belief – credit – credence

Confidence is like writing a check knowing that there is money in the bank. People can sense confidence, and people will likely trust a confident person. A confident teen has to be taught how use it to obtain opportunities, especially jobs. Even if, the failure is eminent, a confident person understands the breadth of his or her skills.

Confidence is Taught

Training and influence from parents (or parent) is essential for teen jobseekers. The employment background of the parent is moot since confidence has to come from a guided and clear place. The lack of this life lesson defiles an American dream, derails a generation, and maybe a future career. It’s a gift that will keep on giving, if a parent gives installs it like a hard drive on a computer.

Confidence is Caught

Once a compelling example is witnessed by an impressionable young man or woman, they believe it’s possible, especially if it is desirable. What’s cool is that it is a renewable part of survival and success. If it’s cut off, it grows back. If it shrunk, it resizes and never at times grows stronger. It becomes a part of the body like an arm or a leg, for a teen, or anyone else.

In conclusion, confidence serves two purposes for young jobseekers, particularly teen boys.

Confidence supplies the fuel, motivation, and purpose to sell and excel in any career. It encompasses every milestone of success, accomplishments, and growth up to that point. It is the only way he or she appears employable without a ton of experience.
Confidence is a shock absorber for failure. Crashing, falling, and imploding is part of the adult experience. These kids can’t grow up without knowing what the virtual bottom feels like.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Right And Wrong Job Interview Lessons From Television Sitcoms

We can learn wrong job interview strategies from highly exaggerated television shows. Even subtle idiosyncrasies can mislead our intentions, focus, and results. Although these situations are exaggerated (or not) and reach beyond the scope of realism, all three have valuable lessons:

The job interview lesson from this video from Murphy Brown has several take-a-ways:

Too much information is an immediate turn-off
A cordial interviewer does not validate your interview performance
Emphasize skills and how you can serve the people who will work with you

This episode from Home Improvement has two major take-a-ways:

Don’t respond to your competition’s credentials hastily without researching the employer, and their expectations.
Creating assumptions in your mind about your employer is a lack of common sense.

Editor’s Note:

Please follow the below link to You Tube for the clip, the scene starts around the 2:15 mark.

http://youtu.be/2Xjyy7mg4v4

In this episode of the “Mary Tyler Moore” show, Mary moves to Minneapolis and interviews with Mr. Grant. Note the two main take-a-ways:

Notice that Mary was direct without being disrespectful when Mr. Grant asked several inappropriate questions
Always focus on giving positive answers and reactions to rude and obnoxious behaving employers. Sometimes employers will test of your character using inane antics

I’m sure you didn’t mind wading through the ridiculous situations to see the main lessons. For as many tools available on the web, there is no excuse for ignorance. Give interviewing 100% effort, to receive 100% rewards.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

4 Things That a Slow Job Search And A Boring Marriage Share

Unemployment becomes your life, and dominate your thoughts if you don’t get in control of it from the beginning. For sure a slow job search sucks. Maybe you were zealous in finding a job, and making strides at first like a torrid love affair, but as time progress, your job search turned stale. It happens in marriage relationships. Did it happen to your job search?

I suggest that today your job search is like a marriage relationship. You sleep with HIM, you think of HER throughout the day, you miss HIM, yet you are disenchanted with HER. Either tragedies can change your life for the worst. Allow me to offer four common threads with glaring similarities:

Lack Variety

Jobseekers want to use only one or two job hunt strategies. They implement the easiest way such as filling out online applications, or asking the same 10 Facebook friends for job leads. A job hunt needs spice, and at times inspires results. What if your marriage is one dimensional? Is that acceptable to you? I hope not!

Lack Quality

Will sending out hundreds of resumes a month and filling out hundreds of job applications monthly bring success? There are countless stories of people sending hundreds of resumes to employers, cold, and fast, but to no avail. Try to add a bunch of intrepid changes to your marriage at once will only hinder the entire dynamic of the relationship. Instead, focus on improving one or two areas at a time. Think long term. Think permanent changes.

Taken For Granted

Nothing is like being second fiddle to anyone else if you are the spouse of an unemployed jobseeker. A successful job search does not happen by itself. It takes cultivating relationships, ad giving back to others. Show gratitude no matter how needy you think you are. Like your spouse, a job search needs and your undivided attention.

Complacency

After 20 years of marriage, my wife and I still flirt, play, and make each other better. Most of all, we are cognizant of treating others better, especially those who are outside of the immediate family. As an active jobseeker, treating others well is just as valuable as finding a game changing job lead. At times, it seems that you give more than you get, but the return is priceless. Offer leads to people you know who need help. Be a resource for others, and perhaps, it may be reciprocated.

You may feel that you married your job search, but this is for a short time. Commitment, dedication, and tenacity are also words associated with both. However, marriage often exceed expectations of what we give, and what we get.