 |
|
|
|||||
Job interviews are nerve-wracking at the best of times. But for those who see themselves as introverts, they can be extra intimidating. Its not due to a lack of skill. The ability to think on your feet and sell yourselfno doubt important in the interview processtends to come more easily to those who go through life a little more extroverted. And yet more Americans see themselves as introverted than extroverted. Contrary to conventional wisdom, thats not necessarily a bad trait in the workplace: Research has found that introverted leaders outperform extroverts by 28%, driving higher productivity from their teams. Connar Walford, student success lead at the U.K. jobs and career advice website TargetJobs, offers five strategies that introverts can utilize to ace a job interview. The Energy Anchor The idea of being put on the spot in an interview is enough to make any introverts heart race and palms sweat. That’s why thorough preparation is essential for anyone, but for introverts in particular. Walford suggests identifying up to five “energy anchors” before even setting foot in the interview room. These are previous work wins that you can recall with ease. These can be anything from receiving a compliment from a peer to working on a successful project, he says. These anchors help to regulate the nervous system and maintain your confidence throughout the interview. The Power of Silence While some extroverts might dominate conversations, introverts can be skilled listeners, giving them an edge over the competition. Those pauses to compose your thoughts before speaking? Theyre not awkward. In fact, they can be a superpower. People often feel that they need to fill a silence. However, instead of rushing to speak, utilize it, Walford says. A calm pause can signal authority, thoughtfulness, and composureall great working traits. Reframe the interview Rather than regarding the interview as your one shot to impress the hiring manager, heightening an already intimidating situation, you could flip the script. Look at it as an opportunity to determine if the role is the correct fit on both sides of the coin. This reframes the power dynamic from performing to connecting, eliminating the fear of being judged,” Walford says. The interview doesnt end when the door closes Many introverts might be tempted to run from the room as fast as possible and wipe it from memory before the overthinking kicks in. Remember, although the interview itself may have ended, the process hasnt. Always send an email post-interview thanking those present, including any info that may have slipped your mind, and ask any additional questions, Walford says. This shows professionalism, gratitude, and a strong interest in the role. Navigate Energy The interview process can be draining for anyone, but particularly for introverts who typically lose energy during social interactions. Remember to manage your energy pre-interview by fitting in quiet time, Walford says. This helps navigate potential overstimulation, buildup of nervous energy, and fatigue. Afterward, schedule some well-deserved alone time, and reward yourself with whatever fills your cup back up. Perhaps that’s coffee and a sweet treat. Or a glass of wine in the bath. Youve earned it.
Category:
E-Commerce
One minute, you’re watching a hilarious or even completely bland YouTube short. The next? You realize you’ve just lost an hour of work time or managed to stay up way too lateagain. Losing track of time when watching shorts is not an uncommon experience. But now, YouTube wants to help you set limits to stay on task, hit the hay, or just, ya’ know, not lose precious hours of your life to Shorts. On Wednesday, the video streaming giant rolled out a new timer feature on its mobile app. When users log on, they can go into their settings and click on “shorts feed limit” to set a timer that will remind them to stop scrolling. Once users hit their time limit, the app will send them a notification letting them know they’ve reached their limit. Of course, it’s not hard to dismiss the timer and keep on watching Shorts. Still, the feature may help to nudge users to get back to work. Shorts are a core part of the YouTube experience, YouTube said in its announcement. Setting a scrolling time limit on the Shorts feed allows for this exploration while helping users be more deliberate about their viewing habits and manage their time effectively. When it comes to setting time limits for scrolling, this isn’t YouTube’s first effort. The company has already had both “Take a Break” and “Bedtime” features in its mobile app settings. And while other social media platforms, like Instagram and TikTok, have since added similar features, YouTube was one of the first streaming platforms to help users put their phones down. Earlier this year, YouTube announced it was doubling down on its bedtime reminder feature for teens, which became automatic in 2023. At the time, Jon-Patrick Allen, a professor of social and behavioral sciences at Rutgers School of Public Health, told Fast Company that users will still have to exercise some self-restraint. It will be effective for a small proportion of people, but the onus is still on the user to turn it off.” Allen added, “These are all cosmetic things that may work for some people, but arent really going to shift user behavior. Either way, the move feels like an invaluable one. According to YouTube internal data, per Sprout Social, last year, YouTube Shorts averaged 70 billion views a day. And it’s not just Gen Alpha and Gen Z who are endlessly watching YouTube hijinx: 25-to-34-year-oldsa combination of both Gen Z and millennialsare the platform’s most diligent viewers. No wonder workers are distracted and groggy.
Category:
E-Commerce
Venture capital powers innovation, yet investment decisions still favor the familiar. From the original design of the industry to the women reshaping its future, the patterns that drive investment may be poised for change. Is venture capital ready for a new outfit? On October 25, 1988, the Womens Business Ownership Act (H.R. 5050) was signed into law, granting women the right to own and operate businesses without a male cosigner. This landmark legislation was a breakthrough for womens economic independence. Yet by that time, generations of deal making had already embedded a pattern of men investing in men. Pattern matching is woven into the fabric of venture capital itself, such that investment in women-led startups has been stagnant at only 2% for more than 15 years, dropping even below that percentage in 2025. Venture capital, founded by men, invests in the familiar. Whether you mark the birth of the industry in 1946 on the East Coast with the establishment of the American Research and Development Corporation, or in 1961 on the West Coast with Davis & Rock and the rise of Silicon Valley, there is one truth: Men invested capital in men for decades before women could even own a business. PATTERN MATCHING AND THE SCIENCE OF RETURNS Fast forward to 2013, and pattern matching had become part of the investors craft. In a New York Times profile, a partner at Y Combinator (YC) described reviewing video interviews with founders applying to the accelerator to identify predictors of failure: When you have to talk yourself into something, its a bad sign. Such rapid assessments may well have relied on pattern matching. With YC partners predominantly male, could this instinct have influenced cohort selection? The stakes are high: In the Winter 2024 batch, YC admitted just 260 companies from more than 27,000 applicationsan acceptance rate under 1%. Based on self-reported data, only 21% of those companies had a woman founder, and just 11% of the founders were women. If decision making in venture capital were driven by data rather than psychology, more women-led startups would be funded. Women-led startups generate more revenue per dollar raised than their male counterparts, and companies with a female founder have outperformed all-male founding teams by 63%. Morgan Stanley estimates that investors lose $4.4 trillion each year by underinvesting in women and people of color. Yet year after year, only about 2% of venture capital dollars flow to women-led startups. DISRUPTING AND UNRAVELING THE PATTERN To address the lack of access to capital, organizations are working on multiple fronts: expanding the pipeline of women entering venture capital, accelerating the career growth of emerging fund managers, and providing mentorship to empower female founders. A systemic issue requires multiple points of disruption to effect a systemic shift. Sourcing is a pivotal leverage point, influencing which founders are included in the consideration set of strategically aligned, high-potential deals. Twenty-eight percent of venture capitalists are women, and many of themanalysts, associates, and principals in male-led firmsare responsible for sourcing startups as part of the deal flow process. What if women sourcing deals were able to more efficiently identify women-led startups aligned with the investment thesis of the venture capital firm, expanding the consideration set and unraveling the threads of pattern matching? Efficiency means moving beyond the familiar networksthe same elite schools, the same geographic hubs, the same social circlesthat reinforce pattern matching. MOVE THE NEEDLE Thank you to the women, and especially the National Association of Women Business Owners, who advocated and lobbied for this landmark legislation. And to the women entrepreneurs and the women invested in them who still persevere, knowing that progress may not be fully realized in their lifetimes. Shannyn A. Smith is founder of The Capital Boutique.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||