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Time management
Time management

Self-management

Time management
Time management

Self-management

"Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan."

Margaret Thatcher

Time management is an important and sought-after skill, and if that’s something you’re good at, you should definitely mention it. How can you demonstrate that you’re well organised? In your video CV, you might answer questions such as:

  • Do you make to-do lists? Show examples
  • Do you have a time check? Do you set yourself time limits?
  • Do you use software tools for time management, for example Pomodoro timer apps?
  • Do you feel comfortable delegating tasks?
  • How do you organise your time? Do you focus on one task at a time or do you prefer multitasking?
  • How do you plan your day? Do you have a routine? What does it look like?

Communication skills
Communication skills

Collaboration

Communication skills
Communication skills

Collaboration

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

Mark Twain

Good communication skills are key to effective collaboration in the 21st century. If you can communicate your ideas clearly and concisely, you can reduce the likelihood of mistakes and misunderstandings. If effective communication is your strong suit – be sure to mention it! The question is how, right? Here’s a couple of prompts that might help you get the ball rolling:

  • Can you write emails, write blog posts and/or other types of messages that are clearly formatted, skimmable and get your point across?
  • Can you edit information and repurpose content and then adapt it to different platforms/channels?
  • Are you capable of evaluating your audience and tailoring communication accordingly?
  • What makes you think that you’re a good communicator?
  • Can you convey your ideas clearly and concisely?

Self-motivation
Self-motivation

Self-management

Self-motivation
Self-motivation

Self-management

“You can have all the tools in the world but if you don't genuinely believe in yourself, it's useless.”

Ken Jeong

The ability to stay motivated, even if something goes wrong, is an important and sought-after skill. Here’s a couple of examples that might help you demonstrate this ability:

  • How do you stay motivated? What inspires you to keep going?
  • Do you set yourself SMART goals?
  • Do you practice positive self-talk?
  • Do you try to surround yourself with positive people?
  • How do you reward yourself?

Won any awards for your creative projects? Remember to mention them!
Won any awards for your creative projects? Remember to mention them!

Creativity

Won any awards for your creative projects? Remember to mention them!
Won any awards for your creative projects? Remember to mention them!

Creativity

“I don't deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either.”

Jack Benny

Remember to mention any awards you’ve won for your work! It might help you stand out as well as highlight your interests and expertise. When talking about awards you’ve won remember to 👇

  • Include the date
  • Mention issuing organisation
  • Identify what you received awards for
  • Prioritise, only mention awards that might be relevant to the position
  • Keep it short and sweet
  • Mention how this recognition is relevant to the position you’re applying for

How well do you adapt to new environments?
How well do you adapt to new environments?

Flexibility

How well do you adapt to new environments?
How well do you adapt to new environments?

Flexibility

“It’s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same. Even smells the same. You realize what’s changed is you.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Flexibility competence is tested and developed when having to adapt to new environments. Especially if one moves abroad to study/work/live. Demonstrate your ability to adapt to new environments by answering the questions below 👇

  • Have you lived abroad? How did you adapt to new culture?
  • What have you learned from living abroad?
  • Do you like working/living/immersing yourself in multicultural environments? What do you like/don’t like about it?
  • How do you handle cultural differences?

Empathy
Empathy

Self-management

Empathy
Empathy

Self-management

“The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world. It requires profound purpose larger than the self kind of understanding.”

Plato

Claire Cain Miller from The New York Times draws attention to recent research which shows "that empathy makes people better managers and workers, and better family members and friends. But it’s bigger than just its personal effect. We’re all in this together, and researchers say that connection and compassion are crucial to a sustainable and humane future. ". The ability to understand and share the feelings of another is a sought-after skill in all work environments. How do you cultivate empathy? How can you show your prospective employer? Here’s a couple of prompts that might help you get started:

  • Would you consider yourself empathetic?
  • Do you find it easy to understand other people’s feelings, emotions and problems?
  • Do you actively seek to develop empathy? How?(volunteering, reading books …)

Embracing cultural diversity
Embracing cultural diversity

Collaboration

Embracing cultural diversity
Embracing cultural diversity

Collaboration

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”

Audre Lorde

Working in multicultural environments is rewarding and exciting but it can also be challenging at times. Different customs, traditions and languages mean that a certain level of flexibility, diplomacy, patience and willingness to learn will be needed in order to collaborate fruitfully. Ready to show your prospective employer how well you work in multicultural environments? Highlight your skills by answering the questions below 👇

  • Briefly introduce your experience of working in multicultural environments
  • Have you ever faced any challenges while working in a multicultural environment? How did you deal with them?
  • Have you lived/studied abroad? If you have, tell us more about your experience.
  • How do you negotiate cross-cultural differences in order to accomplish your and common goals?
  • Are you eager to learn about the cultural practices and worldview of others?

Dealing with unwanted emotions
Dealing with unwanted emotions

Self-management

Dealing with unwanted emotions
Dealing with unwanted emotions

Self-management

“It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.”

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

We all have bad days but not everyone deals with them in the same way. You can be sure that in any workplace, you will have to deal with other people’s unwanted emotions as well as your own. If you pride yourself on being able to manage your emotions and maintain a healthy and pleasant work environment, you can mention this in your video CV. How? Try answering these questions for starters:

  • How do you deal with unwanted emotions, do you let them get in the way or do you maybe have a strategy how to manage them?
  • How do you manage unwanted emotions?
  • How do you deal with angry/agitated colleagues? Do you let their emotions transfer onto you? Or maybe you have methods/strategies how to calm your colleagues and help them?