Four Career Insights from the Election

We have recently witnessed unprecedented national transformations in the political landscape in the US. Like many others, and 1.5 months after the election and after today's electoral vote confirming the new leader of the country, I am still in the recovery phase, desperately trying to connect the dots, and struggling to analyze what happened, what would’ve happened, and what is going to happen. That said, I am not trying to share my political inclination, rather, and as a career educator, I seize every opportunity to learn and share the career lessons that could be insightful to students in their journey to life after college. Here are four insights from the 2016 American presidential election that we can take away:

1. Predict the Unpredictable

The American presidential election has yielded unpredictable outcomes not only to the American people, but to billions around the world. As a self-proclaimed data geek, working with data on an everyday basis, I know how great data can be, but I also know data is not enough. There is a margin of error in any prediction that could make or break the results, especially in big events with multiple variables and too many interdependencies, such as Brexit, the Arab Spring, and the American presidency. “Polls are good but not perfect,” said data scientist and statistician Nate Silver. He is the one who successfully predicted Obama’s win in 50 states. In your career, you can perfectly predict how many job or internship applications you can send, how many resources you can utilize, and maybe how many meaningful connections you can build. However, it is far less likely that you can predict how many job or internship call-backs from employers you are going to get, whether you will make it to the final round, and even you will get any offers. Be aware of what is under your control and what is not. In multivariable problems such as life and career, designing your life is more rewarding than relying on traditional ways of pursuing a career.

2. Perception Is Not Reality

Someone once said “perception is reality.” I challenge this saying. Perception is more important. Although your perception might be a reflection of the fact, we are human, and we tend to forget most of what we hear and see. We remember what matters to us, what triggers our curiosity, what is aligned with our values and experience. Many we know, have chosen to stay in their echo chambers, instead of courageously stepping out of their comfort zones and reaching out to those with whom they disagree. The American election was heavily based on perception. There were countless opportunities for distortions, and these distortions affected election results.

In your career, first impression matters. Employers don’t remember every GPA, achievement, award, or job skill they see on resumes, or hear in job interviews; they build a story about you in their heads. Even in highly structured interviews, perception matters. You might not have a complete control over the wrong perception the employer may have about you, such as your look, gender, age, etc., and yet there are many things you can master that will help you give the best impression you can give about yourself. People remember stories, and how to say things is just as important as what to say.

3. Resilience Is Not Bouncing Back

?Organizations across the country offered their employees the opportunity to express and share frustrations in safe but controlled groups, so they could decompress, reflect and overcome their anxiety, fear and disappointment, with the aim that they can build their individual resilience. I totally agree with the notion that building individual resilience will help in overcoming setbacks. However, I feel the current definition of resilience, a bouncing back strategy, falls short, because it means going back to where you were before your setbacks. Instead, we should try to learn from experiences, make the best of out of a current situation and move forward toward a better future. Last year, I was at the closing keynote at NACE. The closing speaker was Brad Snyder, a US veteran who lost his vision in Afghanistan and decided to move forward to win gold medals in the Paralympics. Brad shared his inspiring story on how life setbacks can get the best out of you, and on why keep asking “what if” can change your life. In your journey of pursuing meaning work, you might apply to different jobs that you think you qualify for and you never hear back, or you do not progress after you first round interview for a non-profit that you've always wanted to work for. Life sometimes doesn’t go as planned and we might feel everything is falling apart. What makes an experience meaningful is the depth and breadth of lessons you learn from these experiences and bouncing forward to make the best out of future opportunities.

4. Expect Tough Conversations

The rhetoric of the US American election was the wake-up call for many of us. It helped us reassess how to have honest but respectful conversations with those who see the same situation from a totally different angle. In addition, many parents I know felt that talking to their children the day after announcing the new president was one of the hardest moments in their lives. Some parents didn't know how to tell their children that the elected leader of the country doesn't represent their own values and morals. However, many shared that those conversations bonded them with their children and made their relationships with their kids stronger than ever. Vulnerability takes courage. In your professional life, having honest and respectful conversations with your direct reports, co-workers or even your managers will not be easy, but it will build the brave leader in you and it will help you grow and mature as you progress.

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