29th September 2016
Personality test
Through self analysis I want to find out more about myself and to understand other people’s perceptions of me so that I can make myself more appealing to any potential employers.
Surprisingly, even taking some of the simple ‘childlike’ quizzes such as ‘which superhero I’m similar to’, I could still recognise similar personality traits in myself. For example the superhero I matched with was the green lantern, who was described as hot headed. This is something I can definitely see within myself as I can be impulsive and act upon things quickly. Although I wouldn’t consider myself to be angry, I have the ability to have a fiery temperament in certain situations. I do feel as those others would agree with this in certain situations, such as sporting activities or when I’m meeting deadlines. Which is probably due to a mixture of pride and stress within things I do. I could definitely use this to my advantage when it comes to applying to jobs as showing passion and pride when it comes to work or projects is a huge benefactor for any company/ employer.
Moving on to the more complex personality tests such as the Myers-Brigg test, which describes itself as; the personality test that will allow you learn more about your strengths and discover how you can achieve fulfillment in your professional and romantic life.
The test described me as extroverted, sensing, feeling and perceiving (ESFP). In terms of work habits it describes me as very giving and willing to help others when needed, and this is also apparent in the workplace. ESFPs are great team-players. They enjoy working in groups, and are both flexible/ practical when doing so. ESFPs are often described as hardworking and willing to help others. Which describes we very well in terms of my editorial and organisational skills within live news-days and how I like to take the lead (see in Live new production). However, one described weakness of an ESFP that I likened to my own personality reads: ‘ESFP personalities rarely make detailed plans for the future. To them, things come as they come, and they rarely bother with taking the time to lay out steps and consequences, with the belief that they could change at any moment.’ Which is an issue that I need to address urgently, in terms of planning future work based environments. Obviously journalists need to be quick thinking and to be able to change their plans with the latest news, which suits my habits. But in terms of getting work experience and long term career plans, I need to be more forward thinking. Perhaps the solution to this is to give myself set deadlines to contact people and deadlines for sorting out different placements. Although,this test isn’t 100% accurate as it describes me to become oversensitive and take criticism to heart. Where as I encourage constructive criticism in order for me to improve myself as a future journalist. I will always take on board advice and use it to my advantage for future projects.
CV building (See CV)
I was asked to bring in a copy of my CV in order for it to be looked over and potentially altered to suit the needs of the media industry. Luckily I had been using the CV builder on ‘The junction’, which had all the relevant advice that I needed to cater my CV correctly. It gave me the perfect template to use, telling me the things to write in order to keep it interesting and relevant to the jobs I would be applying for. No matter how good the template and instruction, things could still be improved on. Upon further inspection from a third party expert, I was told that my descriptions were too generic and that I would have to expand on how my personality traits would aid me in this particular industry. My CV is still an on going project, as it needs to be kept current in an ever changing industry.
On the same day whilst my CV was being read, I was asked to sign up for LinkedIn. Which has already proved to be a very fruitful venture. I have been able to gain contact details for people in companies that I would like to work for in the future and therefore get potential work experience with them. This site also allows me to advertise myself further and for potential recruiters to see my portfolio and be able to contact me directly.
Interview techniques
We openly discussed the correct manor in which to attend a job interview, which I learnt a lot of useful tips from. Researching the employer was a standout for me, as it seemed a lot of questions that you may be asked would be easier to answer having full knowledge of the role and company I would be applying for. It was also good practice to bring my own questions to the interview in order to seem keen and forward thinking, which most employers value.
After we discussed multiple techniques, we were asked to do a solo piece to camera answering questions that has been previously prepared, so had to answer to the camera without much planning. This gave a sense of panic and how I need to be able to sell myself under pressure. As a confident, talkative person I felt that I could easily answer the questions to the camera, giving lots of information about myself and how I would benefit the ‘company’. But the reality is that I will need to impress a panel of people or person, and be able to converse well, not just give one individual response.