In episode 24, we chat with Jonathan Black about soft skills being the employability skills, how the hiring process is not all about qualifications and achievements, and how hiring for attitude is so important.

Jonathan shares his insights and practical tips for improving career prospects. From working in small businesses to large corporations, Jonathan's diverse background makes him the perfect person to guide students and professionals alike. With a career that has spanned continents and a proficiency in multiple languages, Jonathan offers a truly global perspective on career development. He also shares his insights on how to transition into a new career field and the delicate balance between career goals and personal aspirations, providing a nuanced view on the evolving nature of work. Jonathan offers so much advice, presenting fresh perspectives on early and later career development.

We discuss:

• Why transactional analysis as a psychoanalytic theory is so important as a basis for understanding ours and others behaviour
• The importance of soft skills when evaluating candidates and why skills such as teamwork and communication are so important
• Hiring for attitude and training for skill, Jonathan talks about the importance of looking beyond qualifications and focusing on a candidate's attitude. Skills can be taught, but you cannot change attitude
• How Gen Z bring the courage to challenge and express their views and the rest of us can benefit if we listen, respect and present our own ideas so together we make things better
• No pride in ownership, Jonathan reminded us that true success comes from collaboration and shared ownership. Let go of the ego and embrace teamwork

Join us for this thought-provoking discussion to gain valuable insights from Jonathan’s experiences and to enhance your understanding of the dynamic world of career development and hiring.

And in let's take this offline, Annette Sloan and I break down the three biggest takeaways, plus we answer a question from our listener Jo, who has her first interview in 10 years and is looking for our advice. 

Get in touch: Cathal@betteratwork.com.au or https://betteratwork.com.au

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Get in touch on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathal-quinlan/

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About Guest

Jonathan Black has been Director of the Careers Service at the University of Oxford for the last 15 years. He has worked in the UK, Europe and the USA, in small businesses and large corporations, private and public sector. In his day job, he works one-to-one with students, presents at international conferences, and produces new ideas and programmes to help students in schools, university and beyond, to improve their career prospects.  Jonathan writes his own column at the Finanical Times called "Dear Jonathan" and is also an author. His book, How to Find the Career You've Always Wanted is a must read that really gives you the confidence and skills to choose your career - as well as the perspective to see the big picture and understand where you are heading.

Website:  https://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/jonathan-black

FT: https://www.ft.com/jonathan-black