1. and used with the permission of the author.
JOBTALKS
Your Talents and
Employer Fit
Indiana University Kelley School of Business C. Randall Powell, Ph.D
4/7/2019
Contents used in this presentation are adapted from Career Planning Strategies
and used with the permission of the author.

2. Self-Awareness and Cultural Fit
Matching your background and the culture of the organization
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3. Sound Understanding
As a Job Seeker, you need a sound understanding of the principles of
Creating
Making
Implementing Job Decisions
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4. Fundamental Principles
Regardless of your experience or personal background, you must consider:
Self-Awareness
Cultural Fit
Interdependence
Adaptability
As well as skills match-interviewer’s job
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5. Self-Awareness Who You Are Who You Want to Become
You Need A Clear Picture of….
Who You Are
Who You Want to Become
Career Success will stem from…
Your Strengths…
….Not Your Weaknesses
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6. Self-Assessment
Helps to separate family and societal pressures from personal needs, desires, abilities, and styles.
Passive vs. Active Role in Job Search
Seeking to find a job that satisfies popular needs and desires OR
First defining what you seek in the workplace
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7. Take An Active Role in Self-Assessment
Ask yourself some probing questions that will help you begin the self-assessment process.
Consider your cognitive skills
Consider your personal and interpersonal work style
Consider your outside interests and needs
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8. Consider Your Cognitive Style
How do you think?
How do you approach problems?
Do you focus on details, systems or the big picture?
Do you think in the abstract?
Are you easily interrupted?
How many things can you remember and attend to at once?
How flexible is your thinking?
Do you find different thought processes difficult to understand or enjoy?
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9. What is Your Personal and Interpersonal Work Style?
What would you consider an ideal daily routine?
What are your best hours?
What type of work environment do you need to be at your best?
How much variety do you like or need?
Do you like structure?
Are you a team player or do you prefer to work alone?
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10. Explore Your Outside Interests and Needs?
How would you describe your lifestyle?
Focused on work?
Filled with many activities? Or a few?
Do you like traveling?
What hobbies or recreational outlets do you have?
How often do you need them to stay refreshed?
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11. FIT Second principle is FIT.
Using your self-awareness information to assess the demands and responsibilities of a particular job.
The FIT between a particular job and your personal profile.
Begins with questions designed to generate information your career goal.
Later… prove the match in your interview
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12. FIT Questions Avoid “generic” questions.
Be precise to help with making a choice.
Assess opportunities from a…
Professional standpoint and not only from a personal perspective.
Retaining key elements of person/job fit.
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13. Manage Areas of Mis-Fit
Build upon areas that provide a good fit.
Manage those that do not.
Focus on here-and-now.
Be less concerned about the next promotion or the ultimate career outcome.
Do all things extremely well.
Establish credibility and respect.
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14. Interdependence Various conflicting aspects of life. Professional
Financial
Educational
Physical
Emotional
Spiritual
Social
Recreational
Intellectual
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15. Key to Interdependence
Remember that they are all part of the same person.
Don’t close them off – do not compartmentalize these facets of our lives.
Recognize that each career decision will affect your physical, emotional, and intellectual self, as well as your relationships with others.
Make decisions for the whole self.
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16. Adaptability
Change comes to people and jobs in varying amounts over time.
Ability to respond to these changes is fundamental to implementing your career decisions.
Don’t be too set in your ways.
Don’t be too sensitive to change.
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17. Keep Yourself Adaptable
Develop a range of interests.
Maintain a level of self-motivation.
Follow the trends both within and outside of your organization.
Readings, conversations, networking
Articulate a set of values
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18. Summary Self-Awareness Fit Interdependence Adaptability
Four principles of managing the career decision-making process.
Self-Awareness
Fit
Interdependence
Adaptability
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19. Finally…
Those who become proficient in each of these areas are more likely to make good career decisions and thrive in the years ahead.
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20. If you would like to learn more, Career Planning Strategies textbook will supply additional information on this topic.
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