Hardeep Chawla’s Post

I stopped replying personally to everyone who reached out for an open role. It took too much of my time in an unproductive way. Most of them didn’t help any of us to have a meaningful conversation. They didn’t bother crafting a personalized message. They mostly sent a generic message that didn’t answer the question of why they deserve to be the one. Even worse, for a role that’s producing tangible artifacts, most of them didn’t share any link to their top portfolios. Most of them were telling, instead of showing. Perhaps this is also a way to assess the culture-fit. Some hiring managers might be OK with certain ways of communicating. For me, I love simplicity. My brain can’t comprehend complicated things … this includes a complicated way of conveying something, in this case the values of someone could bring to the organization. In case you’re applying to a design role at Alpheya, please submit your application through each open role’s page. We’ll review internally and contact you if your profile match with our requirements.

We've all heard the advice not to judge a book by its cover. Yet, at times, we let opportunities slip through our fingers because we can't resist the allure of first impressions. A few years back, I had an encounter that drove this point home. We were hiring for a new position, and one candidate's resume was as exciting as watching paint dry. His work history was solid but unremarkable, and his interview was so bland it could have doubled as a sleep aid. But, for reasons even I can't fully explain, my gut insisted on giving him a shot. Fast forward a few months, and that "meh" candidate had morphed into a rockstar. He just needed a chance and someone to have confidence in him. His innovative and creative ideas improved our culture and performance. Had I dismissed him based on those yawn-inducing first impressions, we'd have missed out on a phenomenal asset. Oh, and he's also become a trusted and loyal friend, so there's that. In our quest for success, let’s not overlook the diamonds hiding in plain sight. Take a second look, ask another question, and dig a little deeper. You never know what brilliance lies beneath the surface. #ProfessionalGrowth #leadership #HiddenPotential #LookBeyondTheCover #innovation Had To Holdings Ltd.

Next month I will be spending 84 hours in complete and total darkness. My intent here is to meet myself. To know who I am without any distraction, noise, and chaos. It's my understanding sensory deprivation allows you to go deeper, to uncover and surface your authentic self. I think this will be the ultimate test of staying with something that is immensely uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and unknown. I also feel confident that I can do this or I would never have reserved this experience. So what does this have to do with leaving corporate? I think the parallel here is:  1. It’s an opportunity for me to trust myself in a place I’ve never experienced before.  2. There’s so much more to me that I keep hidden that will emerge when I allow it. Leaving corporate requires us to tap into a version of ourselves that is new and unfamiliar. And to do that from a place of surrender and trust. I will be reporting back after my experience and providing insight into what I learned and what I’m taking away. And I look forward to sharing that with you all.

If you're a job seeker looking to proactively connect with a recruiter or hiring manager online, I highly recommend checking out these tips from the Harvard Business Review. Give it a read and let me know what you think! Link to article: https://lnkd.in/gsH-ZD_u

"Put some feelers out" I've never thought twice about this phrase, I use it all the time. But today someone humbly asked me, "How do you put out a feeler?" A perfectly legitimate question that 99% of us would probably not ask for fear of coming across as dumb or naive. It made me think about how jargon sometimes is grandfathered into our lexicon and we all assume it's understood. But as my friend today said, "It's just something that isn't taught." He's right. So here's a quick lesson: "Putting out a feeler" simply means to send out a soft inquiry to ascertain people's thoughts or feelings about something. Oftentimes it's used to gain some intel about jobs or potential job openings. For example, I've been asked before about potential openings here at Notre Dame. My response? "Let me put some feelers out." Then I send a few texts, stop by a coworker's office or drop a quick email to see if there's anything I'm not aware of in the department. Nothing overly aggressive or direct, but striking the tone of "I know someone looking for a new gig, anything you know of?" And that's basically how it's done. Not too complicated. But if you don't know, you don't know. So now I'm curious - What other phrases or terms do we use that aren't as clear as we think?

After eight months of unemployment, I’ve learned a few things: 1) Qualifications don't guarantee job opportunities. You may have worked the exact job for a hugely successful business with the same clients, and still, they may never reach out at all. And you’ll never know why, so move on. 2) As a former hiring manager, I now better understand the impact of communication during the hiring process. A simple message can make a huge difference. Small gestures matter; disappearing is disrespectful. 3) My kids are amazing. Seeing them for so many extra hours every day has been a smack in the face. While unemployment has been a tough experience, it’s not without bright spots. My 9-year-old son now makes a better omelet than I do (but he still can’t tie his shoes). 4) Having more time on my hands has taught me to find the beauty in Chuck Norris movies. Find me at a conference or summit for a detailed breakdown. I have no doubt this will all work out in the end, but hopefully, before I move on to Steven Segal’s catalog. 😀 Elliot

#7 ideas from Steve Jobs, which have helped me immensely, in making the right career choices. [1] "Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become." [2] "Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice." [3] "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." [4] "Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life." [5] "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." [6] "The journey is the reward." [7] "My favourite things in life don't cost any money. It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time." ***************** Will attempt at expanding on each of these in my newsletter this week. Which goes out to 1100+ professionals, every Friday 7AM. You can join them too at https://lnkd.in/gpcRXkxH

Great blog post from Seth Godin the other day - link to the post is below. In terms of hiring and trying to find a new role, this is a very interesting article. What it reminds me of is that hiring managers are looking for shortcuts, the easy way to make a decision on who to hire. Some of that is out of your control. If they like candidates that have worked at a certain company, and you haven't worked at that particular firm, there is nothing you can do about that. However.... This is where research is critical. About the open role you are applying for and of the company itself. If you work into your resume, and hopefully then into your conversations with hiring managers, that you have some key skills/experiences/background, then you make their decision easier. Which is what they want. Believe me, managers don't want to interview 10+ candidates for their role. They want to interview 2 or 3 and for the choice of who to hire be obvious. Make it easy on hiring managers - make it obvious that you are the choice. Do your research and you can make it obvious. #resumewriting #interviewprep #collegestudents #collegegraduates https://lnkd.in/eZQaqVyh

Yep! More smart thoughts from the fine folks over at InterviewPath!