Well, I'm back on the job hunt again, and as I read description after description of what qualifications employers are looking for, specifically in terms of personality traits, I am disappointed. I just read an article about how it's getting more and more uncomfortable to be an introvert in America, and I must say that the job market certainly reflects this unfortunate truth. Every other employer wants someone who's a "team player, enthusiastic, energetic, outgoing personality," blah blah blah. Not that introverts can't be good team players. But I think we have a lot of other valuable qualities. Why is it that no one is looking for an employee who is "independent, polite, efficient, can mind their own damn business"? Again, this is not to say that extroverts cannot be all of these things as well, just that you'll never see this particular combination in a job description. Introverts are neither unfriendly nor do they have bad people skills, but including "outgoing personality" in a job description would imply otherwise.
Done with rant. Back to job applications. I should probably remove "stays on task" from my resume.
I've missed your blogging...and after reading that article I want to ask your introverted brain lots of questions.
ReplyDeleteFor example:
"As the introvert struggles to follow multiple conversational threads and sort out his own thoughts, he remains quiet and appears to be just listening. The extrovert reads that as engagement, a cue to keep talking."
Have you just been nodding and smiling at me all these years?
Seriously though, I'm dissatisfied. Introverts sound way more interesting than exs. kind of like they're the ruler of their own little world. And the way this article is written, it seems like everyone is cemented into their introversion/extroversion for life. It'd be cool to hop back and forth.
Hahaha, no, I actually am a good listener. Sometimes. And I've learned how to turn off my brain. Now the trick is to turn it back on...
ReplyDeleteI don't think you're cemented. Wait, I should clarify. YOU'RE cemented. I don't think everyone is. Although you seem to have a plenty rich internal life.
Whoa whoa. uncement me! that is NOT fair. i wish you could come play around in my internal life and i could play around in yours and we could see what terrible and wonderful people we truly are.
ReplyDeleteand wow that sounded a bit creepy. it really wasn't meant to.
i've gone and posted a whole blog on this. sort of. you're like my muse.
haha god i miss you guys! minding their own damn business seems like the most important office qualification i've ever heard of! put it on the resume.....
ReplyDeletethanks, chantel, I completely agree!
ReplyDelete