So, to kick off on this subject, allow me, dear Reader, to talk about myself for a bit, and see how my words below might resonate with you ? Over my career I had many job interviews and I suppose that I became quite adept at managing them - for example, my way of dealing with expected and challenging questions was to prepare for them wherever possible. For example if an interviewer asked me "What was my greatest weekness", my stock pre-prepared answers were that, "I dont take enough credit for my successes", or "I am always to eager to get to the end game and take action on a project".
These types of answers had a reasonable amount of success over my career. But the calculating way that I came to prepare and deliver these answers also hide a personal truth for me: This is that the people who hired me felt that, for whatever reason, felt they had a personal connection with me ... and I suppose whether or not the job turned out well for me, I had a sufficiently personal connection with my bosses too ... and just as importantly, the companies I worked for and their values, attitudes towards customers and colleagues.
On reflection, these interview situations and the jobs that did or didn't come from them led me to a conclusion that is both sad (but real life) and at the same time positive. Sad, because from time to time I found myself in jobs that I shouldn't have taken (some for many years), but which were offered to me after answering the interview questions as above. Positive, because I now realise that once salary and conditions have been settled, the only two things that really matter in order to get you "Perfect Job" are being: 1) able to be truly yourself at work, rather than putting on a patina of what I or my bosses and colleagues things I should be doing, having or being. 2). Having a sense of "Connection" or "Belonging" within the work environment while at the same time being able to be myself, warts and all ...
With this reflection comes responsibility, effort and consistency so that they can last ... for it is wonderful to be my (now rather more self-aware) self, and to have strong connections with others be they clients or employers. While at the same time, in order for these things to grow and be sustaiable, I need to be constantly looking at how I treat others, myself, my company and clients to be the best person I can possibly be (Suggest you refer to background to your Emotional Intelligence here - or refresh your memory). So, my challenge to you if you are thinking of taking stock, changing direction either at your current work or to a new company, is to make sure you can be yourself, and make lasting self aware connections with yourself and others.