A Fresh Look
Last year forced us to be nimble, finding creative ways to reach our clients. In that spirit, we’ve re-energized our social-media outreach. There, we’re sharing stories and resources, including new videos like this one. We’ve also refreshed this monthly newsletter. I hope it feels more personal: from me to you.
Thanks for keeping in touch!
Greg
President & CEO
greg@dardiscommunications.com
312.285.1073
Interview Like Elon Musk
Using language well can unlock powerful insights. That’s always been a central belief here at Dardis Communications. So I was fascinated to learn the interview approach taken by the tech CEO Elon Musk.
People are clamoring to work for him at Tesla and SpaceX, which means Musk must be strategic in vetting prospective candidates. In a recent call for applicants to work at Gigafactory Berlin, Tesla’s European battery-manufacturing plant, Musk solicited resumes along with this request: “Please describe a few of the hardest problems you have solved and exactly how you solved them.”
Vague questions elicit vague responses. But this pointed question will yield multiple examples. Musk uses a superlative to shake out the “hardest” problems – not just any problem. And it’s posed in a way that will reveal the process each applicant took to solve each problem. Musk wants to see how an applicant thinks. He needs a sense of how an applicant’s problem-solving methods could be applied at Tesla.
Take a page out of Musk’s playbook – whether you’re interviewing a candidate or queueing up a meeting:
- Send a thoughtful question in advance to frame the discussion.
- Use superlatives.
- Solicit examples.
- Uncover a thought process or problem-solving approach.
Recommended Reading
Cal Newport’s book “Deep Work: Rules For Focused Success In A Distracted World” stopped me in my tracks. Here’s his central premise: “The ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at exactly the same time it is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. As a consequence, the few who cultivate this skill and then make it the core of their working life will thrive.”
Life Hack
Do you use iPhone photos for work? They can serve all sorts of helpful functions – especially screenshots. The key is knowing where to find them so they don’t get lost in the abyss. Organize your work-related photos into albums. To create an album on your iPhone, select a photo and press the share button on the bottom left (the tiny square with an upward arrow bursting out of it). Then scroll down a bit till you see “Add to Album.” You can add the picture to an existing album or create a new one by selecting the option at the top, “New Album…” Imagine all the albums that could serve you: “Ideas,” “Images for Presentations,” “Quotes,” etc.
Client Testimonial
“Incredible course! I would highly recommend to anyone. I have been through many upon many of career-development programs over the years, and this is right at the top of the list. Honestly, I would not change a thing.”
-Senior Executive – Healthcare Industry
Audience Connection. Any Time. Anywhere.
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