Inspiration & Motivation for Job Seekers

In today’s very competitive job market hunting for a new job can be grueling, so we want to send some positive vibes your way. Here are 3 TED Talks you can look to for inspiration.

Regina Hartley: Why the Best Hire Might Not Have the Perfect Resume

It’s true that employers are looking beyond qualifications and technical skills when it comes to hiring – your soft skills have become just as important, if not more important to an employer. And if you’re someone who hasn’t had the privileges of private schooling or access to other opportunities that can help you to succeed in life, you shouldn’t be disheartened. Coupled with qualifications, the life skills you have developed as a result of adversity – grit, resilience, emotional IQ – can make you even more valuable to an organisation.

HR Director Regina Hartley speaks from experience. Her childhood was not all rosy, but dealing with hardships made her a better person … and a better job candidate. In her TED talk, Hartley discusses the differences between a candidate who looks perfect on paper (the ‘silver spoon’) versus someone who has suffered adversities and whose background and work history is perhaps not as shiny (the ‘scrapper’). She encourages employers to not be so quick to reject the scrappers, highlighting how they often outperform the perfect candidate in the long run.

Carol Fishman: How to Get Back to Work After a Career Break

Many of us take career breaks at some point in our life whether it’s to look after children, care for elderly family members, or due to personal health reasons. But returning to work after an extended break is not easy. When you start applying for jobs, it can seem as if you’re just never getting a look in with employers, and this can be a real hit to your already-fragile confidence level. It’s easy to start feeling as though the professional career person you once were is now just a distant memory.

Carol Fishman is the CEO and Co-Founder of iRelaunch, a company providing reentry resources for employers, individuals, universities and professional associations. In her TED talk below, Fishman discusses some of the things to consider when re-entering the workforce after a career break. She explains the benefits employers can gain from hiring what she refers to as ‘re-launchers’ (mums returning to work, veterans, military spouses, repatriating expats, etc) and how some companies are making it work.

Larry Smith: Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career

Ever heard the saying, “Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”? In other words, do something you’re passionate about. But, unfortunately many of us will never follow our passion. Larry Smith is a professor of economics and career coach at the University of Waterloo in Canada. In his TED talk below, Smith discusses why most of us come up with a myriad of excuses as to why we don’t ever follow our passion. He explains what we should be doing instead, and how to get past the mental roadblocks in order to embrace our passion and turn a day dream into a day job.