Wether it is your first , second , part- time , full- time or graduate job, most of the time you will have to go through a trial in order to show your skills before you are hired by a company in a stable position.
Job trials are normally known for being challenging, sometimes a total win and sometimes a real mess.
Myths about Job Trials
According to the dictionary, the definition of a trial is “a test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something.”
The most common mistake we make when it comes to approaching a job trial is to believe that this is the moment when our weaknesses will be exposed and the company will definitely know that we are not what they are looking for.
This mindset has not been developed just by chance, but it has been a pattern that has been formed by either employees who misunderstood the concept of trial or employers that did not know how to find the gold in people trying out for their companies.
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I need to know everything.
This is the thought that used to scare me the most. In every job trial I had to do, I would be freaking out because I felt like I knew nothing.
The secret is in having confidence. Being confident not on the thought that you know everything, because you don’t (And If you think you do and don’t leave room to learn, this will give you some trouble); but in the fact that you are a capable person who can work effectively and learn what is needed.
You need to be confident in what you know, bring your best and apply it appropriately.
Take initiative and ask questions, it is better to ask and learn than to keep it to yourself and remain ignorant.
At the end what the company is looking for is to see your growth capacity, how willing you are to grow, what you can bring to the company and what you need to be trained in to bring even better quality.
Most of the time, supervisors will choose to hire the people who have some skill and willingness to learn, rather than people who have a lot of skill but have reached their ceiling.
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I need to look amazing to get the job.
Even though appearance is key when it comes to representing a company, this does not mean that you need to look like a top model in order to get the job.
What appearance tells includes your time management, wether you are able or not to take some time and invest it in taking care of yourself, wether you are doing things purposefully and live a life that wants to communicate something to people you connect with everyday. And most of all, wether you would or would not represent a company in the best way possible.
Remember that as a worker, you are the face of your job.
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I have nothing to offer.
This is one of the statements that shows a deep lack of confidence. Never forget as I said before that even if it doesn’t seem like much, we all have something to offer. This could be great people skills, great learning ability, working under pressure, technical skills, a degree or any previous education.
Never think that what you have in your hands is too small or useless. Lets be honest, if you don’t value your talents yourself, not many people will.
At the end, job trials are not that bad, they are like an exam that instead of showing how much you don’t know, shows how much you do know, depending on how you see it.
So next time make sure you pack up your confidence, smile, willingness and best attitude to leave everyone in the company desiring more of you.
