3 Steps to Analyzing your role in the Gig Economy

We are entering into the age of the Gig Economy. By 2020, 40% of you will be working on contract instead of full-time. As technology changes at a rapid pace, the way this world works changes too. That said, you will likely have changed careers and expertise by then as well. Most career playing fields would have changed by 2020. For many of you, this is already happening. Are you prepared to shift as the world shifts?

In previous generations career paths were straight and narrow like the game of checkers. One could stay in a single career their entire lifetime. Now career paths are as complex as a game of chess. The strategies and directions one could go in are endless. It could take years to master and some never will.

Building your career path takes time and it's an iterative process. In our last blog 3 steps to uncover your polymath DNA we talked about looking inward and discovering your skills and capabilities.

Now look outward. You have a myriad of directions you can go in and the thought of this is overwhelming. Let’s first follow these steps to analyzing the possible environments around you and the potential paths that can be taken.

LOOK OUTWARD

Look at the current trends in your field. Create a doc and start plotting your own data.

1. New Values

What's becoming valuable in your industry/specialty as well as in tangent spaces?

List what you see as valuable and why.

How do you see these changes happening in your space vs in tangent spaces?

2. New Players

Who is disrupting these industries and how?

What companies do you see changing the landscape and what are they doing?

Are they new players in the industry or existing companies shifting direction?

How would you profile these companies?

3. New Skills

Look into the future, what new skills in these industries are becoming popular?

List and analyze the new skills that are surfacing. What does it take to acquire them?

After spending time exploring it's time to take action and look for patterns. In our next blog 3 Steps to Uncover your Polymath DNA, you will use this information to marry your inner abilities and outward potentials.

There are always other possibilities out there for everyone. You just have to take the time to look for answers within yourself. Find out what's relevant to you. 

What are you willing to learn and develop? 

How do your skills fit in the emerging industries and specialties? 

What skills are you missing or need to work on?

At Yeh IDeology we have developed a methodology that will make your dream job a reality. If you are looking to identify the opportunities you are missing, you need to schedule a Strategy Call with Angela Yeh.

10 Quirky Questions to Qualify Creative Talent

You can not ask the same old tired questions when searching for creative talent. Here is what you should be asking—and what the answers will reveal about the candidate!

We all know that when it comes to recruiting top talent, hiring managers and recruiters can only take a resume at face value. The true determination of each candidate’s potential fit inside your company goes much deeper and is often only discovered after you bring them onboard—which is too late.

But today’s recruiters and others involved in the hiring process are getting more savvy in their interviewing process, including the questions they ask, which are designed to reveal the candidate’s true personality, thought process and their level of creativity.

If you’re in search of creative talent, here’s a look at some of the newest questions interviewers are asking, although they may seem quirky (and they are) each one serves a specific purpose.

1. What’s the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months and how’d you make it?

Asking this question offers up a view into how your candidate solves problems and analyzes situations. A person with a creative mind will use reasoning and analyzing to come up with solutions and be able to look at things from various angles before making a decision.

2. What were you doing the last time you looked at a clock and realized you’d lost track of time?

Creative people are known for diving into a project, getting the ideas flowing and not coming up for air until it’s completed—to them, time is not even a concern if they are doing something they love. If your candidate answers this question by relating a story about a work project, you know you could have a winner.

3. What movie, no matter how many times you’ve seen it, do you have to watch when it’s on?

Movie favorites, just like books and TV shows, reveal a lot about a person’s personality. If your candidate’s favorite movie of all time is about an underdog who overcomes challenges and adversity, for example, this shows that they’re motivated, thrive on being challenged and are easily inspired.

4. If you had to describe the color yellow to someone who was blind, how would you describe it?

Weird question, yes. But think about it? How do you explain what a color looks like to someone who’s never has and never will see it? Answers to this question not only show how creative they are, they demonstrate how conceptual the candidate is and how well he or she can articulate ideas.

5. What would you most like to learn here that would help you in the future?

This question lets the candidate know there’s growth and learning opportunities at your company and allows you to delve into their aspirations for the future. A creative person is curious and enthusiastic by nature.

6. What is something that you’re proud of that you’ve done in the last few years?

A great question if you’re looking for a person who takes pride in their work. If your candidate can easily come up with something they’re proud of, you’re on the right track.

7. If we are sitting here a year from now celebrating a great year for you in this role, what did we achieve together?

The answer to this question shows whether or not your candidate has done their homework and knows what your company’s mission is. It also will reveal their aspirations when it comes to the position you’re filling—do they expect it to grow into another role or one with more responsibility?

8. What concerns do you have about our company?

Another question that will help you see if the candidate has researched your company and knows what you’re all about. If they have no concerns, it’s likely they’re not being candid or haven’t done their homework, because no company is perfect. On the other hand, if they offer up their honest opinion and add in ways they think they could help make it better, you may have a winner on your hands.

9. How would former co-workers describe you if I were to interview them?

The answer to this question not only shows how well your candidate got along with his or her coworkers in former positions, but it also shows how he or she thinks others view him or her.

10. What are you the best at or what’s your superpower?

You’re building a team and so it only makes sense to get people who have a diverse set of skills. This question allows your candidate to express what they think their strongest abilities are and gives you insight into where they would fit into your team.

The process of interviewing job applicants has certainly changed for the better over the last few years. We’ve gone away from asking the tired “why do you think you are right for this company” to asking questions that provide a deeper, clearer picture of a candidate’s work ethic, how they think, solve problems, and how they’d fit in with your company culture. If you’re searching for top creative talent and aren’t sure how to identify the skills you need, give us a call.