As a kid, words like ‘practice’ and ‘dedication’ left me cold, but I have recently I have re-discovered the value of practice, focus and dedication.
One of my hobbies is playing the ‘cello in folk sessions. A friend had a gig and asked me if I would like to join. The event is uniquely British, it’s called the Tweed Run, and you can see the general photos as well as a wee photie of the band. I didn’t know most of the tunes, so I had to sit down and learn them in a fairly short space of time (at least the shape of the tunes, what with the ‘cello being a bass instrument).
This involved Practice – a lot of it in a short space of time. I nearly backed out, as my first attempts at doing anything with the 22 tunes were hideous to the ear. But I stuck with it, and actually practised, and it eventually I started to notice the difference. So did other people at other events. And because I’m now playing better than I have in years (I haven’t practised in years) I feel motivated to do MORE practice, and get better still.
When you’re working on finding a new job or career, there are somethings you can practise, and some you can’t. Writing application forms can be a fairly tedious job, but the more you do, the more practice you have, and the more you improve, particularly if you’ve got someone to give you feedback. Likewise interviews. If you have an interview coming up, write out a list of questions you might get asked and practise with a friend.
The trick with interview practice is this. Don’t try and learn it off by heart. Just practise coming over across as motivated, and interested in your listener. Think about what you can offer them, not what you want from them. Our thoughts drive our behaviour, so if, deep down inside you’re thinking ‘I really don’t want this job’, that’s probably what will come across. Attend some jobs interviews for jobs you don’t really want. They’re great for practicing. And you won’t need to feel disappointed if you never wanted it in the first place.
