Last weeks I’ve done an intensive application process for our traineeship program. The ‘case’ that people make in the second conversation, after passing the introduction call, is way too long for the time set. Moreover it’s way too hard for the skills they have. It’s a pressure cooker.
Having an overview of all conversations, bottom line, I have noticed that everyone responds different to that pressure. And every candidate experiences the outcome in a different way. After an hour we jump in the room and we discuss the answers to the case questions.
But before we do, we very notice into detail what people say and do when we enter the room. Moreover we notice the behavior when we discuss the case. Some people come out and are very positive “it went great”, some people are less positive “wow, that was hard but I brought my best”.
What matters is the extent to which people own their work. Are you a stiff oak or bendable bamboo? Next to that we notice whether people make excuses. You should never make excuses when it comes down to your work.
“I haven’t done this in a while”
“I have no experience with this”
People who make excuses are so hard to work with. For everything that goes wrong, they have an explanation instead of a frustration. And I understand that. But step up your game. Own bad, instead of talking yourself out of it. You’re bigger than excuses. You can always find ways to do better.
Talk about what you have done instead of what you wish you had done.
Talk about what you would do better.
Think for yourself on new information.
And if you don’t know, just own the nescience.
Do not make excuses.