Experience is not enough…

When it comes to evaluating our lives, experience is not enough. Every week I receive lots of CVs detailing a person’s experience. From the ones I choose to pursue, there’s usually a follow-up discussion focused on how best to interpret that experience. Out of these discussions there arises a mutual clarification; often resulting in an revised CV which better addresses the specifics of the role in question. 

We appear more than capable of listing out experiences, but we are not great when it comes to interpreting their significance. Increasingly employers want to interview candidates who can translate past experiences into potentially unforeseen ones brought about by high levels of uncertainty. Rather than the employer having to do all the hard work of interpreting, I work with candidates so that they themselves can, on the day, demonstrate how their experience is best translated, having properly assessed all the potential threats. All good interviews should be a prelude to what might happen rather than a opportunity to assess what has already occurred. 

Often our past experiences were due to these very same circumstances. The unexpected happened and we gained from experiencing its effects. And it’s not as if we don’t understand this. What we often lack, however, is the necessary insights to judge either our vital role in that experience or the future value it might have for others. That’s why my role of interpreter, and the discussions that take place, are so important. Together, we correct the mistake of just presenting the facts