Judo is a martial art and sport that has fascinated me for
over 40 years. While in college, I
learned and practiced Judo, and realized it gave me many things. Not only did
Judo help me meet my wonderful wife,
Zarina, but it also taught me many lessons. Judo taught me to be resilient without being aggressive;
Judo taught me to be respectful without losing
self-respect; Judo taught me to see an opportunity in every crisis.
Being a Judoka (one who practices Judo)
has made me the person I am today.
Judo also helped with my chosen profession of headhunting. I
have always wanted to help people,
especially with finding the career they seek, and headhunting was just the
right way. I have been passionate
about it and have been actively headhunting for over thirty years. I have recruited for a myriad of industries
and professionals in nearly every field, and travelled to wonderful countries in search of talented professionals.
Surprisingly, there are many principles and practices of Judo
which can be applied to life in
general, and specifically to the process of looking for a job.
Taking a look at some of the principles and processes of
Judo, I have translated them into how
they can be effectively applied to your job search. Here are just a few Judo
principles and processes that you can
apply in your job search.
Judo
means the “Gentle Way”
The
fundamental principle of Judo is that resisting
more powerful opponents will result
in your defeat, while adjusting to and evading
your opponent’s attack will cause them to lose their balance. As a
result, their power will be
reduced, and you will defeat them. This principle applies regardless of the relative values of power, thus making
it possible for weaker opponents to
beat significantly stronger ones.
This also describes the general principle for
any job hunt. From the point of
applying for a job through the interview and follow through, your stance should
always be soft, but firm. Remember
that the hiring manager has a tough task at hand—selecting an appropriate candidate from many
competent applicants. During the interview and
any subsequent interactions, you may find yourself pushed to a corner.
Your task is to remain collected,
understand the issues, and present acceptable solutions. Similarly, while hiring managers often appreciate a candidate
following up, it needs to be soft and subtle. One needs to nudge, not push. In Judo, when an opponent pushes, a
Judoka merely takes a step back and
the opponent will fall on his face. You do not want that to happen to you. Consider the occasional email sharing updates that are relevant to the
job or the industry, or some other way
to let the interviewer know that you are still in the market, without being a bother.
Learn
to Break Your Fall
The
first thing we learn in Judo is to break a fall. I remember when I started learning Judo, my palms were
literally black-and-blue after slapping them
on hard surfaces as I learned to break my fall. In judo, learning to successfully break a fall is what allows
you to get up again and continue the fight
A
job hunt is no different. As a job seeker, you will fall. Your application may not receive a response, or you may
not be selected after an extensive
interview process. You must learn to break those falls. Often, this means leaning on the support of friends
and family.
If
You Fall Seven Times, Make Sure You Get Up Eight Times.
They say the real art of Judo is falling seven times and getting up eight times. The same
applies in a job search. While you
may be suitable for the first seven jobs you
applied or interviewed for, there may have been seven others who may have had just a marginal edge over you in suitability. It is your ability to
realize that by getting up each
time with renewed vigor simply ensures that you get the job the eighth time around. I have seen
candidates feel disappointed after a rejection; they often blame the
interviewer but the secret is to realize
that the answer lies within you more than with others. You are the one
looking for a job. Focus on
identifying why you fell—it will help you avoid falling the next time around.
While
practicing Judo, I have been thrown to the ground and fallen hard innumerable times. Each fall gave me an opportunity to understand where I had made a mistake.
I learned that the harder I fell, the more inclined I was to
understand my error. It made me a
better Judoka, and also helped me in life in general. This concept also applies to a job search. A job search is a process. Like Judo,
it was not about just one game, but a series of games, with the goal of emerging as a winner. If you
realize that falls—even hard falls—
are just a part of the process, and not the end, it will help you hone your abilities so much better and be
prepared for the next interaction
Judo
Begins With a Bow to Show Respect to Your Opponent
Any game whether friendly or competitive begins and ends with
opponents bowing to each other. This is a sign of respect for each
other and acknowledging gratitude for the interaction.
An interview is quite the same.
It may seem hard to believe, but I have heard from HR managers how candidates are often
condescending during the interview.
For example, senior professionals going
through a first-round interview with a relatively junior recruiter may knowingly or unknowingly end up talking down to the interviewer. Others rely on this as a
tactic in an effort to make
themselves appear in high demand. Don’t do that; it can only hurt your chances. Instead, leverage the opportunity to understand the job better, or to
explain to the junior recruiter why
you suit the position. By showing respect to an interviewer—even one doing a screening interview—you have not
undersold yourself, but demonstrated your confidence in yourself.
Your
Ability to Flow with Things Will Keep You Standing
While
playing Judo, it is common for me to push my
opponent in a certain direction to check his sense of equilibrium. The moment my opponent pushes me back, my
opportunity opens up and I know my
opponent will soon fall. An interview is no different. A skilled
interviewer will nudge you during
the interview process, perhaps by questioning
your abilities and skill on the job in question. The interviewer is waiting for you to push back, and that
is the moment you will falter in
your response. It is your ability to flow with the direction and keep your
balance that will keep you standing
to continue the fight. That is what will make you a winner.
Aim
for Maximum Efficiency with Minimum Effort
As
a Judoka, I always had the disadvantage of being
smaller than most of the adversaries I faced. I had to find ways to deliver maximum efficiency with minimum effort. That was possible in
Judo, and the principle can be
successfully used in a job search as
well.
Take a
resume, for instance. It needs to be precise,
specific, and communicate the strengths you bring to the table. I see a lot of resumes that have a lot of words, and yet say very little. Your
resume should include the right amount of action words describing what you have
achieved and what you can bring to
the employer. Be selective in what information
you choose to include in your resume. If it has little bearing on the job you are applying for, consider omitting it.
The same principle holds true during an interview. As a Judoka, if I can gauge my opponent’s
strength and weaknesses, I can
decide how to leverage his weakness
and win the game with minimum effort. Similarly, if you have done your
groundwork prior to the interview and know the “pain-points” of the company, you can address the issues
during the interview and demonstrate how your experience and knowledge can help the company overcome its challenges.
Throwing
someone who is trying to Throw You
Judo
is always a combination of mind and body. As
a Judoka, I am trying to throw an equally competent Judoka who is simultaneously devising ways
to throw me. My mind has to
simultaneously look for ways to attack my
opponent while I physically defend myself from
being thrown.
As
a job seeker, your situation is no different. When you prepare your resume, while you are trying to make yourself appear suitable for a
particular job, your interviewer is
comparing it to other responses to evaluate
why you may be less suitable.
The same holds true during an interview. Your interviewer is
assessing you based on your body
language and responses. Stay one step ahead of your interviewer. For example,
be on the lookout for trick questions.
The most common example is: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Many candidates go overboard when explaining
their weakness. You are not in
church for a confession. Obviously, be honest; but the question really wasn’t
intended to elicit a laundry-list
of your personal weaknesses. Find a few examples, preferably those that can also be recast as strengths or potential
areas of growth.
You
Can’t Win if You Don’t Play
As
a Judoka, I have to leverage every opportunity that presents itself. Any throw I do not attempt is a lost opportunity.
This also applies to your job search. Opportunities to network present themselves everywhere —at
the gym, a social event, or your
child’s school. Don’t be pushy, but at the same, time, be on the lookout for
opportunities to network. These sorts of connections are what frequently lead you to potential opportunities.
Similarly, during an interview, you need to consistently be
on your toes. Whenever the
opportunity presents itself, explain why your qualifications and past
experiences will provide value to
company. Remember: any opportunity you
lose will not come back.
Keep
the End Goal in Mind
Judo
is about using combination of multiple throws
and grapple techniques to achieve one final objective: winning the match. The Judoka has to defend
against the opponent’s attacks and
simultaneously breaking his defense to deliver
a throw, followed by one or multitude of other throws, all of which leads to a final throw that is
executed with perfection.
You can apply this to a job search as well. At every stage of
the job search process--whether
networking, preparing your resume, or giving an interview—you need to be alert
and armed with varied combinations
and options. During an interview, if one of your answers results in a negative response or body language from
the interviewer, you must be flexible enough
to immediately change your strategy. Only if you are prepared with
alternatives can you manage these
issues with the ease of a Judoka, and impress upon the interviewer that you are the perfect person for the job.
Finally,
Have a Singular Focus
When attempting a Judo throw, my entire body and mind are
focusing in that one movement. I must
keep my mind extremely alert to the fact that my opponent may also be planning
an attack, or may resist my throw
with a countermove. My body has to move in sync with my mind to ensure that I execute the technique
flawlessly to ensure victory. There is no scope for error or distractions.
A
job search is no different. Once you have decided that you will pursue a new job, you need to be
focusing in that direction. At any
networking opportunity, you should be prepared with an “elevator pitch” about yourself, and a business card or some
form of handout about yourself. As
in Judo, if you put all your energy and
focus in one direction, there is no stopping you from getting hired for a job suited just for you.
Ramesh Anand has worked in the headhunting profession for
over thirty years. He is President
of American Personnel Resources LLC. He can be contacted at ramesh@aprllc.com.
