Reality Testing & Emotional Intelligence Written by Susan, certified emotional intelligence coach
Has this ever happened to you? You’re sitting there, let’s say you’re at work, and you start to feel chilly, so you grab sweater off back of your chair without thinking – one you keep at work – and slip it on. A few minutes later you’re distracted again because you’re still cold. “That’s strange,” you think. You look around office. No one else looks cold. You go to get your coat and you say, “Is anyone else cold?” They shake their heads no. You put your coat over your lap and get back to work. But you’re still cold. Suddenly it dawns on you – “I must be getting sick.” Nothing has changed outside, it’s something that’s going on inside you. It’s cold outside, but temperature in office hasn’t changed since you got in. It never does. And no one else is cold. You do a quite check – “Yes, my eyes are getting achy, yes I feel weak.” Ah hah. Now, consider this in regards to your emotions. One of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) competencies is reality-testing. The cornerstone of Emotional Intelligence is self-awareness. You need to know when something happens whether it’s because of something that happened outside, or inside. (Of course it can be a combination, t00.) For example, let’s say you didn’t get a good night’s sleep and you skipped breakfast and you’re on a deadline. Your secretary isn’t there when you arrive, and doesn’t wander in till 30 minutes later, and you pitch a fit.
| | Expand your network by sending thank you letters Written by Brenda Koritko
Sending a thank you or follow-up letter within 24 hours of an interview is not a new idea, but it is still a good idea. A key reason to send a thank you letter is to nurture new and existing relationships. Plan to send a thank you letter to all people that assist in your job search. This group includes people that you meet during an interview; your existing contacts that provide written recommendations, and any friend (or friends of friends) that offer career related leads or information.Thank you is a good place to start relationships that will greatly contribute to your ability to secure right job in record time! Unless you have a good reason for sending a card or a handwritten letter to your target reader, plan to send an e-mail that is easy to produce. Use subject line to note "thank you for interview". This action demonstrates a respect for their busy schedule and an understanding that they may want to read this e-mail after they have read all their urgent e-mails. Start every thank you letter by expressing your appreciation for interest and time that people have invested in your career. Then, when you highlight that you are still interested in securing a new challenge, take this opportunity to feature your most relevant skills. For example, "My interest in working for (the name of company or organization) is stronger than ever, and based on your description of position, I know that my previous experience in (specify) provides expertise required to make immediate contributions to your team."
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