Use Emotional Intelligence to Aid Your Job Search

Use Emotional Intelligence to Aid Your Job SearchUse Emotional Intelligence to Aid Your Job SearchIn the context of career transition, getting a handle on your EQ can be eye-opening. By the time most career changers get to the point of thinking about what to do next, they already have a pretty good grasp on their job capabilities, and perhaps more important, what kind of work would be meaningful to them.Here are some ideas about developing and using your emotional intelligence to chart your career directionDecide if youre an individual or group workerDo you manage your time well? Are you a self-starter? Your EQ can help you figure out (and improve) how you manage your own responsibilities, how you manage others, and what that means when it comes to choosing what kind of job suits you best. If you enjoy supervising others, seek out jobs in management. If management is not for you, explore job categoriesthat can give you a feel forcareers that allow a bit more independence, such as wri ting or editing, data entry, and many tech-related positions.Follow your passionEmotional intelligence can be a good predictor of job performance and satisfaction. Knowing your emotional intelligence can help you figure out what brings you job satisfaction. That way, work become less like a job, and more like an opportunity to share your gifts and talents with others.Show some emotional intelligence during job interviewsA job interview is an opportunity to demonstrate that you are empathetic and can relate to others. Show it, rather than simply telling ituse examples from your past career experiences to show how you related to co-workers as colleagues and collaborators. Employers are always on the lookout for people who make good team members, which goes to the heart of what emotional intelligence is all about.Try your EQ on for sizeFlexible job opportunities can be the perfect way to find work that suits your career temperament. No career category is one size fits all, so finding t he perfect fit can take some experimentation.Find your emotional motivationFiguring out where you fall on the EQ scale can be a big motivator to get going in your job search. Especially if youve been stymied about which direction to go or what career field to search, knowing whether youre more of a loner or someone who needs a lot of interaction with colleagues can help you find your way. Good luck in developing a high EQand using it in your job searchReaders, what suggestions do you have about using emotional intelligence to advance your career?