This week I attended a lecture about personal branding, which of course got me thinking. The speaker went around the room and asked, "What is your passion?" For the first time, I was able to answer coherently. Here is my answer: My passion is story telling. I believe everyone has a story, whether it's personal or in their head. I tell stories through writing and I love it.
Expressing my passion is difficult because sometimes I can go towards the crazy side (ex. whales), but passion is something that I lack. Well, not that I lack it, but more like I have so many passions it's hard for me to feel satisfied.
The man giving the lecture is a head honcho of Human Resources, so he knows a number of things about getting jobs and moving up in the world. He made an interesting point being that everyone looks great on paper, but it really is the interview that helps distinguish a candidate. He emphasized that he encourages his team to look for passionate people. Most people can learn the skills to do whatever job, but whether or not they want to do it can make or break an interview. This makes a lot of sense because with the economy, everyone now has a bachelor's degree or higher, some people have experience, and other don't. In fact, the only way that a 20-something who graduated during a slump in the economy can stand out, is by showing their commitment and dedication. For my next interview (whatever it may be), I'll be sure to show my passion more.
For me, the hardest part was identifying what it was. My next step is to determine what I can do with it.
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