NOTES from Meeting #17, May 15th @SVC

Great meeting this past Friday. Below are notes.

WELCOME to two new members:
- Asako Yoshimura (Product Development / Marketing, most recently with Adobe)
- Julie Elting Wessel (Art Director with Interactive experience - wesselting.com/julie)

CRIS JANZEN visited the group, and we talked 'Interviews' - specifically how to read who you're talking to, so that you can communicate with them in a way that best works for their personality type.

Cris is a career coach and has extensive experience working with people to give them the tools to find the job that's right for them.
Her web site: JanzenAndAssociates.com
Her blog, which you can find linked to this one: I Love My Job

Cris led us through an exercise based on the DISC personality system. Then she walked us through the 4 personality profiles that we each could encounter and how to recognize them, from how people are dressed to the questions they are asking:

Dominance
To the point, decisive and bottom line oriented. These people tend to be independent and results-driven. They are strong-willed people who enjoy challenges, taking action, and immediate results.

Recognized by: formal dress, direct questions

How to address: Be brief, direct, and to the point. Don't ramble. Eye contact is key.

Influence
Optimistic and outgoing. They tend to be highly social and out going. They prefer participating on teams, sharing thoughts, and entertaining and energizing others.

Recognized by: formal dress, but with a little flare. Underlying questions: "Will we get along? Will you fit in if we're working together?"

How to address: Connect with them on a personal level. Don't do all the talking.

Steadiness
Empathetic & Cooperative. These people tend to be team players and are supportive and helpful to others. They prefer being behind the scene, working in consistent and predictable ways. They are often good listeners and avoid change and conflict.

Recognized by: dress will fit in with the company's style. Underlying questions: "Are you one of us? Will you rock the boat?" Will absolutely check references and are concerned about longevity.

How to Address: Don't be aggressive or confrontational or come off as overly ambitious.

Conscientiousness
Concerned, Cautious & Correct. These people are often focused on details and quality. They plan ahead, constantly check for accuracy, and what to know "how" and "why".

Recognized by: credential checking. Underlying questions: "Do you have the education, the certifications to do the job?" Might ask you to 'white board' your approach to a problem.

How to Address: Prepare your case in advance (if possible). Delineate pro's and con's, and walk through the logical organization of information.

Less than 25% of us fall into any one category. Usually we're a combination, but we tend to lean in one direction. And they act on a continuum or axis:

Dominance / Influence - Likes control and change, acts 1st - thinks later
Conscientiousness / Steadiness - Likes to adapt, where someone else is in control. Thinks 1st - acts later.

Dominance / Conscientiousness - Task oriented, reserved/detached, questions 1st
Influence / Steadiness - Affiliators, concerned about relationships, accepts and reserves judgement.

For more information, DiscInsights.com has great information on the 4 types. (They call D 'drive' and C 'compliance', but it's all the same info.)