You’re Asking Questions Too — Right?
We often walk into potential work conversations thinking the person offering work needs convincing that we can do the job. But wait a minute. Not every job, not every contract is a great fit. Work situations are mutually beneficial. That’s why there’s compensation involved.
What about making sure the fit goes both ways?
In a 2008 Harris Interactive Survey, respondents were asked to describe their affection for their current position based on the following responses: I like my job so much Iâd marry it; I like my job enough, Iâd date it seriously; Itâs ok, Iâd date it casually; I donât like it, it wonât last long; or I hate it, I want to break up with it immediately. Key findings show that employees lack deep affection for their current position:
- Only 9% of all survey respondents said they love their job so much they would marry it.
- Conversely, 14% of respondents either hate their job so much they want to break up or they donât like it and it wonât last for long.
A 2009 Harris Interactive Survey on job satisfaction might make us think even harder about needing a little convincing ourselves. A few questions of our own could save us from being among â¦
- 36 percent of workers [who] said they believed top managers acted with honesty and integrity
- 29 percent [who] believe management cares about advancing employee skills
- one-third of all workers [who] feel they have reached a dead end at their jobs
If we know value our investment going in, we’re more likely to be among the luckyâ¦
- 20 percent [who] feel very passionate about their jobs
- less than 15 percent [who] feel strongly energized by their work
- 31 percent (strongly or moderately) [who] believe that their employer inspires the best in them.
Clients can also make or break how we satisfied we are with our work. Joseph Carrabis describes the main bad client behaviors include
- dangerous or risky business decisions.
- disregard of your suggestions in favor of their own research or opinion.
- Unmanageable and / or inappropriate behavior.
- refusal to make decisions while demanding that you make them.
- Lack of respectful communication, preparation, participation
And don’t forget the clients who stretch, break, or fail to keep contracts.
Building a strong professional personal identity is a safe guard as well as a concrete career strategy. We can steer clear of obvious bad fits and check more deeply those that interest us.
Become self-aware. Gaining an objective understanding of your abilities, preferences values and interests is a fundamental step in determining the best career fit. Career Vision suggestions for increasing job satisfaction
Whether weâre looking for a company or client work, honesty is the best policy.
It is best to be honest about who you are and what you want from a job. Honesty will also create a better match between you and your new employer. What’s the sense of faking it through a series of job interviews, just to take a job you don’t like or that doesn’t suit you? You’ll just end up repeating the entire process as you look for yet another job! Careerbuilder.com
A great working relationship matches a personâs skills, potential, goals, and personality with the needs, potential, goals, and culture of the business. A great working relationship â career or contract — starts with three questions. The boss or client wants to know …
- Can this person do the job or project?
- Will this person do the job above expectation?
- How will this person fit with the team or culture?
We should want to know three things too …
- Can this person and this company support a position or project like this one?
- Will this person see, lead and manage my work in ways that allow me to excel?
- Is this a company culture that is a good match for me or my business?
The first pair of questions is objective — about ability, experience, and resources to execute the job? The other pairs of questions are subjective — about attitude, passion, personality and values. Itâs tempting to reach for a ârightâ answer. The right answer is being convinced that the value exchange goes both ways.
When we know our unique value, conversation about aligning goals and values becomes natural and fluent. We trust people to understand us, because we know what weâre saying is true. Discussing competence, resources, and needs becomes an honest test of the strength of the potential relationship.
How do you interview people who offer you work?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Timely post for us, Liz.
Yesterday, we dealt with a client that, in one fell swoop, hit all five of Joseph Carrabis’ points. We saw it coming- doesn’t make it any nicer.
I’ll be taking a lot of this advice to heart (and to paper) with our next client. Also found some good info in this Rand Fishkin video from last week http://snip.li/11d7e9 It’s called Making *Clients* Happy, but I think the info goes both ways.
Thanks for being clairvoyant.
Ben,
Your participation keeps me working for you. 🙂
Not too long ago, I didn’t do enough of an interview on one potential client. I even rationalized that their potential to refer others would outweigh the fact that they weren’t a good fit. Luckily, we figured out the bad fit before work ever started.
Hi Becky,
It’s tough when someone holds something that looks shiny and attractive. I know I’ve caught myself thinking what do I have that would make me worth it? Now I do my best to check out whether this match is really going to be a good fit. Some folks have great offers but aren’t such great folks to work with.
Yeah, we’ve both been lucky when we’ve figured that out before we started the work. It’s no fun to get down to business and find out that we’re not meant to be there. No shiny attractive offer is worth a situation where we don’t belong.
Thanks for bringing your wisdom to this post. yeah.
Liz, Good points across the board. I recently turned down my first client. It was NOT an easy decision but it was clear to me that it was the right one. Truthfully, I’ve rarely felt as good about the clients I’ve taken on (save for a few) as I have about the decision for the one I declined. The relationship has to be positive in both directions or it’s not goo for anyone.
Hi Scott,
It’s a brave decision to turn down a first client or second or third. But as you did, I think somehow if we take time to step back we know when it’s not right to go. A great clients a great match because our goals are aligned, we want the best for them and they want the best for us. We’re doing what we love for the people who love what we do. That “goo” doesn’t work.
So with you on that!
Great point. Bad fit goes both ways. And even though times are tough. Getting the wrong job at the right time leaves you out of the running for that next opportunity.
Yeah, Bruce,
Those bad fits don’t move us forward. They take time and leave behind where we were. More than anything they distract us from our goal. Worse they can beat us down and lead us to believe we don’t have what makes us good at what we do.
Finding the right fit is what allows us to shine and grow.
As an owner of a web dev company, I 100% agree. Sure, we’re looking for skills, but we’re looking for a MATCH. People who interview us are great because we see each other much more clearly.
Hi Aimee,
As the owner of a web company, I’m betting you need to be especially careful. Folks aren’t sure what they’re buying and scope creep can be such a problem in what you do. Inviting people to know you is a lot like inviting people to more clearly see what they’re buying … the people who help them design solutions to their problems. I applaud you for knowing how to get clients on your team before your start the job. 🙂
Howdy,
thanks for reading my post on Economy of Meaning and thanks for thinking well of it. I’m flattered.
I hope your readers know such “wisdom” came from experience, as in “Experience is that thing you get just after you need it.”
Hope it helps. Let me know if there’s more or other I can offer your readers. – Joseph
Joseph!
Welcome! Thanks for stopping to notice and for leaving that wonderful quote here.
I’ve got my own share of that sort of experience. Most of what I know I learned by doing it wrong first. 🙂