我有幸采访了Valerie Germain，她是一家领先的高管猎头公司Heidrick & Struggles的合伙人。热尔曼在该公司的纽约市办公室工作，她花了将近一个小时与我谈论猎头流程。在这个由两部分组成的面试中，你将学习到自我提升的最佳方式，专业公司和应急公司的区别，以及当你接到猎头或招聘人员的电话时该怎么做。

杰曼指出，大多数中层员工将通过领英（LinkedIn）等常见数字平台被发现。“人们应该紧跟潮流，提升自己。”她补充说：“重要的是，个人的任何社交媒体足迹都是精心制作的，并且是他们是谁的适当代表。”她接着指出，打造一个人的社交媒体个人资料并不是偶然发生的。“措词很重要；这在数字平台上和在简历上一样重要。”

对于那些希望扩大职责范围的人，热尔曼的建议包括自省。这种诚实地反思自己的技能和才能的能力在制作上面提到的数字信息时至关重要。在自省方面，她有四条重要的建议：

• “好好照照镜子，问问自己，‘别人怎么看我？’”她指出，从直接主管（并非总是可能）、同事、导师以及过去的同事那里寻求诚实和建设性的反馈至关重要。询问有关你的管理风格、运作风格、合作方式、时间管理等方面的具体反馈。“如果别人对你的看法与你对自己的看法不同，这种差异可能是一个成长的地方。”


• Ask those same mentors, peers: “What do you see as my best path for my career?” This question is crucial because as Ms. Germain noted, “It is important to understand the gap between one’s own aspirations and how others see you.” This gap may require you to go back to school or get some specific training. For example, if you have spent ten years climbing the corporate ladder in investor and community relations, but now want to transition to HR, there are likely specific certifications you will need before you can pursue that transition. Furthermore, if all of your colleagues see you as a community builder who eloquently and effectively collaborates with investors and community partners, but who has little patience or a knack for policy development, there is a discrepancy – one you need to evaluate.


• Are there opportunities within your current organization? “People who have been in a place too long sometimes get stuck, too comfortable, and then become afraid to leave the company.” In other words, sometimes you have to leave to find the best opportunities for growth.


• “Discomfort is part of the future.” No one likes to hear that, but in reality, if you are planning on pursuing a growth opportunity, you will experience periods of discomfort, whether that is waiting to be offered an interview, preparing for an interview, or waiting for an offer or a rejection. Ms. Germain added, “Recognize the emotions associated with discomfort and don’t react. Become comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Her advice is worth repeating because it is important to not let the discomfort dictate your behavior, i.e. let it ruin an interview. Instead, accept that this time period will leave you feeling like you are in limbo – you are – embrace it, and recognize it is part of the process.

“The hardest thing is when you see yourself in the mirror and don’t realize people see you differently,” said Ms. Germain. She then concluded by adding, “Being willing to look at oneself, being introspective, get feedback, take a strong introspective view, see yourself clearly, and understand, where I want to get, and understand the gap, and finally, except there is discomfort.”

Read the rest of the interview next week.

Anne Converse Willkomm
Director, Graduate Studies
Goodwin College
Drexel University