When you, as a job seeker, are asked the most common, and toughest, interview question, "Tell me about yourself,"your answer can make or break you as a candidate. Usually job seekers will respond with their "30 second commercial," and then elaborate on their background. While almost every career book and career counselor will tell you that is the appropriate response, I totally disagree.

Many people fail in their job search because they are too often focused on what they want in a job including industry, type of position, location, income, benefits, and work environment. Their "30 second commercial" is centered around this premise. The commercial describes the job seeker's career history and what they are looking for. Too often, this is in direct contrast to what employers are looking for.

There are two dominant reasons why job seekers are successful in the job search. The first is focusing on the needs of the organization. The second is focusing on the needs of the people within that organization. In this article, we are going to examine how to focus on the needs of the people within organizations. This will assist in rethinking your response to that all-important question, "Tell me about yourself."

In order to learn how to respond to the needs of the interviewer, let's first learn more about ourselves. We can then apply that knowledge about ourselves to knowing how to understand and respond to the needs of others.

Most social psychologists recognize four basic personality styles: Analytical, Amiable, Expressive, and Driver. Usually, each of us exhibits personality characteristics unique to one of the styles. However, we also possess characteristics to a lesser degree in the other styles. To determine your unique style, you can take a Myers-Briggs assessment or go to the following site for a free Keirsey Temperament Sorter assessment test: www.keirsey.com

Here are the characteristics that are most commonly associated with each of the styles:

Analytical:
Positive Traits: Precise, Methodical, Organized, Rational, Detail Oriented
Negative Traits: Critical, Formal, Uncertain, Judgmental, Picky

Amiable:
Positive Traits: Cooperative, Dependable, Warm, Listener, Negotiator
Negative Traits: Undisciplined, Dependent, Submissive, Overly Cautious, Conforming

Expressive:
Positive Traits: Enthusiastic, Persuasive, Outgoing, Positive, Communicator
Negative Traits: Ego Centered, Emotional, Exploitive, Opinionated, Reacting

Driver:
Positive Traits: Persistent, Independent, Decision Maker, Effective, Strong Willed
Negative Traits: Aggressive, Strict, Intense, Relentless, Rigid

Gaining an in-depth understanding of your personality style has enormous value in your career as well as your personal life. However, our focus today is learning how to use this knowledge to make you more successful in your job search.

Once you have learned about your own style and have studied the other styles, I encourage you to have a little fun in trying to determine the styles of others. When you meet someone for the first time, try to identify his or her style within the first two minutes. You can often identify styles by observing a person's demeanor, conversation, body language, appearance, and possessions.

To demonstrate what I mean, let's take some examples from the business world. While there are always exceptions, generally speaking the styles fit the example.

Analytical Style: Financial Manager (or programmers, engineers, and accountants). They like systems and procedures. They are slow to make decisions because they will analyze things to death?but their decisions are usually very sound. They prefer working independently and are usually not very good in team environments, but they are also dependable. They buy cars with good resale value and great gas mileage. They are conservative dressers. At the party, they want to know why so much money was spent on Michelob when we could have purchased Busch. They come to the party with their laptops.

Amiable Style: Human Resources Manager. Very people-focused. They are dependable, loyal and easygoing; very compassionate. They will give you the shirt off their backs and the last nickel in their pockets. They are good listeners and value team players who don't "rock the boat." They are usually conformists and followers?rarely leaders. They avoid conflict and are not good decision makers. They drive four-door sedans or mini-vans to take the kids to sporting events. They usually clean up after the party is over.

Expressive Style: Sales Manager. Very outgoing and enthusiastic, with a high energy level. They are also great idea generators, but usually do not have the ability to see the idea through to completion. Very opinionated and egotistical. Money motivated. They can be good communicators. They prefer to direct and control rather then ask and listen. They drive red convertibles with great stereos; to heck with the gas mileage. They come up with the idea for a company party, but never help clean up. They are on their way to another party.

Driver: Corporate CEO. Intelligent, intense, focused, relentless. They thrive on the thrill of the challenge and the internal motivation to succeed. Money is only a measure of success; it is not the driving factor. They are results/performance oriented. They have compassion for the truly disadvantaged, but absolutely no patience or tolerance for the lazy or whiners. They drive prestige cars, not because the car attracts attention, but because it was a wise investment. They want to know why we had a party; what were the benefits of the party, and did we invite the banker?

Ok, now you are really getting some insight into your style and the style of others. It is time for the interviews. Throw out your 30-second commercial. Think on your feet.

You will be interviewing with the human resource manager, the finance manager, the sales manager, and the CEO. The first question each of them will ask you is: "Tell me about yourself." How should you respond? Remember the second reason for succeeding in a job search: focus on the needs of the people in the organization. Here are just a few examples of how to respond to that question:

"Tell me about yourself?"

Response to Finance Manager: "I have been successful in my career by making well-thought-out decisions based on careful analysis of all factors. I approach problems with logic and sound reasoning. I would enjoy working with you in developing the appropriate systems and procedures to make our two departments function efficiently together."

Response to Human Resource Manager: "My career has been characterized by my ability to work well with diverse teams. I seek out opportunities to involve others in the decision-making process. This collaboration and communication is what has enabled me to achieve success in my department. People are the most valuable resource of any organization."

Response to Sales Manager: "Throughout my career I have always adhered to the principle that everyone in the organization must be sales-focused. My department is always trained in customer service, providing outstanding support to the sales team and to our customers. Without sales, the rest of use would not have a job. I look forward to helping you drive sales in any way possible."

Response to CEO: "I have achieved success in my career because I have been focused on the bottom line. I have always sought out innovative solutions to challenging problems to maximize profitability. Regardless of the task or challenge, I always established benchmarks of performance and standards of excellence. I have never sought to maintain the "status quo." An organization that does not change and grow will die. I would enjoy working with you to help define new market opportunities in order to achieve the organization's goals."

In each instance, we responded to the "needs of the individual." It is almost guaranteed that, when you respond appropriately to the diverse needs of the different managers, you will become the standard by which all of the other candidates will be measured.

I challenge you to learn about your personality and leadership style, learn about the styles of others, and learn how to think on your feet when responding to questions. Whether you are seeking a job or you are gainfully employed, by understanding the needs of others you will become a more valuable person, employee, manager and leader.
 

I would tell him that he's a very special child, that there is nothing shameful about that.

Discipline is first, because without it, others would be left unfulfilled. Planning comes next, because it sets goals to be met. Methods provides the means of actualizing plans, while evaluation provides room for improvement and measurement of attainment.

My parents, My passion to succeed, and the challenges that every task brings

It was a time when we have this new guy in our company. I helped my increase his confidence and soon he was already performing even better than me.

Be honest. The interviewer wants to know if they can keep you happy. It's important to know if you're willing to make some sacrifices to get your career on the right track. Your degree of motivation is an important selection criteria for you and them.

Be the first one to answer the question Click here to answer

motivation is recognizing the inner needs, urges & beliefs of people and fulfilling those needs in order to satisfy the person........ it motivates the person to perform better......
there are some very famous theories of motivation like maslow's need hierarchy, mcgregor theory, X & Y theory etc......... Maslow's need hierarchy is the most famous one..... i just give you a brief about that:

Every person has five types of needs......

physiological needs
psychological needs(safety needs)
social needs
esteem needs(achieving status in society)
self recognition needs(A sense of achievement)

one has to identify these needs of people, and by fulfilling them...... motivation comes....

Introduction
Pay is a key factor affecting relationships at work. The level and distribution of pay and benefits can have a
considerable effect on the efficiency of any organization, and on the morale and productivity of the workforce. It is therefore vital that organizations develop pay systems that are appropriate for them, that provide value for money, and that reward workers fairly for the work they perform. Pay systems are methods of rewarding people for their contribution to the organization. Ideally, systems should be clear and simple to follow so that workers can easily know how they are affected. In considering rewards it should be borne in mind that pay and financial benefits are not the only motivator for worker performance. Other important motivators for individuals may include job security, the intrinsic satisfaction in the job itself, recognition that they are doing their job well, and suitable training to enable them to develop potential.

What are pay systems?
Key Points: -
 Pay systems provide the foundation for financial reward systems
 There are basic rate systems, where the worker receives a fixed rate per hour/week/month with no
                   additional payment
 There are systems related in whole or part to individual or group performance or profit
 There are systems based in part on the worker gaining and using additional skills or competencies
                     Pay systems provide the bases on which an organization rewards workers for their individual
                     contribution, skill and performance.
Pay structures
Pay structures are different - they are used to determine specific pay rates for particular jobs, usually based on the nature of the job, its content and requirements. A pay structure provides the framework within which the
organization places the pay rates for its various jobs or groups of jobs.
Pay systems fall into two main categories:
 Those where pay does not vary in relation to achievements or performance, (basic rate systems), and  Those where pay, or part pay, does vary in relation to results/profits/performance (including the acquisition of skills).
There are also systems where pay, and any enhancement, is related to the gaining of extra skills or competencies that can allow a worker to carry out a wider range of work, or work at a higher level, and provide opportunities for greater job satisfaction.
The selection of an organization's pay system is often determined by negotiations between management and worker representatives. In theory these negotiations can be kept quite separate from negotiations over payment structures and levels or amounts of pay; but in practice negotiations often embrace all pay-related issues.

Selecting and installing a pay system
Key Points: -
 Accept that there will inevitably be a cost involved.
 Avoid most potential problems with a systematic, well-timed and carefully planned approach.
 Involve the workforce, or its representatives, as much as possible, perhaps through a joint working party.
 Re-examine the reasons for change and take advice both inside and outside the organization. Obtain expert help if needed.
 Don't just discard the existing system - take stock through discussions to enable the organization to keep the good and change the less good.
 Identify what the new system is required to do - how does it relate to the organization's overall objectives?
 Look at the possible new systems and consider which might best suit the particular organization, with or without alteration.
 Changes to pay make people anxious, and so the new system should be kept simple and agreed with the workforce and their representatives.
 Prepare the way carefully with briefings to the workforce and management. Look out for any changes to differentials and relativities. Document the system and if possible run it for a trial period.
 Build in as much time as possible for proper discussion and consultation.
 Make arrangements for maintenance, monitoring and evaluation. Review the system regularly to ensure it is performing as required.
 Be careful the system does not directly or indirectly discriminate between men and women.

Performance-related pay
Performance pay schemes cover the various methods of linking pay to a measure of individual, group or
organizational performance. They all share the idea that where a worker can vary output according to effort the prospect of increased pay will lead to greater performance.

What are the most common types of performance pay?
It is difficult to clearly distinguish one type of performance related pay. They can be defined as:
Piecework:
A price is paid for each unit of output. This is the oldest form of performance pay and is still used in some local government direct service organizations (DSOs)
Payment by results:
Bonus earnings depend on measured qualities or values of output for individuals or groups, usually based on work studied time units; this covers a range of bonus schemes and still forms the main method of performance pay for manual workers
Organization-wide incentives:
Bonus earnings or pay levels based on measured quantities or values for the whole establishment; this is frequently the basis of contract price or tender-led schemes in local government DSOs
Merit pay:
Bonus earnings or pay levels usually based on general assessment of an employee's contributions to performance; this is an earlier, less structured form of IPRP (see below)
Individual performance related pay (IPRP):
Bonus earnings or pay levels based on the assessment or appraisal of an employee's (or team's) performance against previously set objectives, usually part of a performance management system. This is a fairly recent development,
particularly in the public sector and has grown sharply in use since the 1980s
What are the main steps in creating performance related pay systems?
 Setting objectives.
 Appraising results.
 Linking achievements to pay.

Where output cannot be measured, the sensible solution seems not to pay any bonus; however just because some jobs are difficult to measure, doesn't mean that good performance shouldn't be rewarded. This problem has generally been tackled by providing a lieu bonus based on average bonus earnings to those employees - very often skilled maintenance staff and supervisors - whose work is difficult to measure.
In most systems for manual workers the pay packet is in fact made up of a number of components, usually including a fixed basic payment, a variable bonus paid on output of acceptable quality and a fall back provision. Bonus payments are usually paid weekly or monthly.
In IPRP systems for white-collar workers the pay packet includes a fixed salary element, where progress through a range may be according to performance, and/or a variable bonus paid out for achieving set objectives. Variable bonus payments are usually unconsolidated and may be paid monthly, half yearly or yearly.

Advantages:
 It provides a direct incentive for employees to achieve defined work targets.
 The contribution an employee makes is recognized with a tangible reward.
 A performance culture can be developed with its introduction.
 Line managers can derive assistance from a corporate framework for setting goals. It should improve individual productivity and performance.
 Employees are more likely to focus on what they need to do to improve if this is directly linked to pay.
 A good PRP system will reward the best performers.
 It is an effective way of dealing with poor performance.
 Establishing a means of rewarding high performance can assist in retaining the most industrious staff.

Disadvantages:
 It reduces pay equity and can make an authority liable to costly equal pay challenges if not operated fairly.
 The appraisal process can be affected detrimentally because of the focus on financial reward rather than developmental needs.
 Employees can be de-motivated if the goals set are too hard to achieve.
 Too much of the process relies on the quality of  judgment made by a line manager.
 Co-operation and teamwork can be hindered.
 As reward made for short-term quantifiable goal it can be too narrowly focused.
 There is a danger that employees can expect an additional payout year on year. In a low inflation climate the rewards might not appear to be that great.

Competency-based pay:
Competencies are the knowledge-skills and the attitude needed by any individual employee to carry out their job effectively. These can be incorporated into a pay system to reward individuals who positively contribute to the overall values and objectives of an organization. This is competency based pay: rewarding the way people work, not just recognizing what they can deliver.

How can the right competencies be defined?
Most competency based pay systems are determined by performance indicators. Typically, the competencies needed to drive progression are quantified by senior managers through employee interviews, surveys and job analysis. The following competencies are relevant here:

 core competencies that apply to any job within the organization and reflect the organization's core values
 the technical skills and expertise that are necessary to carry out the job
 competencies relating to a specific job category e.g. 'leadership' for senior managers
 competencies that define the contribution an employee makes to their role including:
 communication
 teamwork and motivation
 coaching
 knowledge and experience
 service delivery
 liaison and networking
 investigation analysis
 initiative and problem solving
 planning and organizing resources
 decision making process and outcomes
 teamwork and motivation
 knowledge and experience
 liaison and networking
 initiative and problem solving
 decision making process and outcomes

Advantage:
 Employees can develop their careers horizontally on the basis of their experience and competence. Pay progression and career development can be achieved without the need for individual promotion

Disadvantage:
 It can be difficult to manage the expectations of employees, particularly new recruits, who may be under the delusion that they can automatically move to a much higher salary simply by doing their job satisfactorily. In fact, they actually need to develop their competencies. In managing the process, effective communication between line managers and staff needs to be put into place

Contribution pay:
Contribution pay is a relatively new concept. It combines elements of both performance and competency based pay schemes by recognizing employee achievements and competencies.

How does it differ from performance pay?
Contribution pay is not a direct incentive for achieving a defined set of targets. Instead it is similar to a
competence based pay reward system, emphasizing what type of development is needed by employees to enhance corporate success.

Advantages:
 It positively recognizes a commonly held assumption that individuals who apply higher levels of skill and contribute more should receive higher financial remuneration than those that do not.
 Organizational improvement can be achieved through constructively motivating people by encouraging them to achieve higher levels of performance and skill.
 Employees are motivated through the recognition of their achievements, not by the attainment of a few narrowly focused set targets.
 An appraisal system that is based on agreeing expectations based on results and competence combined with an agreed joint plan for achievement is a powerful motivating factor in its own right, irrespective of the pay aspect.
 It is a good method for communicating the strategic vision of an authority through the definition of expected performance, competence, priorities and values expected. This will be especially effective if individual objectives and competencies are aligned to corporate objectives and core competencies.

Disadvantages:
 Contribution pay is a relatively new concept that has been developed principally by the pay experts Duncan Brown and Michael Armstrong. As a relatively small number of organizations have put this into practice, there is only limited empirical evidence of its effectiveness.
 It is likely to be far more complex to manage a contribution pay system than either IPRP or competency pays because of because mangers have to simultaneously assess both outputs and inputs.
 The process is more likely to look at the contribution being made on an individual basis, which can
in turn undermine co-operation and teamwork.
 It raises the expectation amongst individuals that if they achieve a set of targets and improve their skills and competencies each year there will be a continual pay out. This might be difficult to guarantee in a climate of sustained low inflation.
 As contribution pay is based on individual assessment it is prone to the capability of all line
managers to perform this task objectively and effectively.
Market-based pay:
Market-based pay links salary levels, and progression through the scales, to those available in the market. It is often used in conjunction with a performance pay matrix, which allows faster progression from the bottom of the scale to the market rate, which will be the mid-point. Progression then slows, regardless of the performance of the worker, as they are deemed to be earning above the market rate for their job. It is rarely used as a scheme in isolation, but may be part of a reward strategy incorporating several performance elements.

Team-based pay:
While team-based pay has been around for some time in the shape of departmental or group bonus systems it has taken on more importance with the increased interest in team working.
In team-based pay systems the payments reflect the measurable goals of the team. Team working may be most effective in situations involving high task interdependence and creativity, although it can be difficult to define the team, the goals, and the appropriate reward. Schemes can be divisive if they are not open and transparent. Goals should not be shifted once agreed - they need to be achievable.
The aim of team-based pay is to strengthen the team through incentives - building a coherent, mutually supportive group of people with a high level of involvement. The team achievements are recognized and rewarded. Peer group pressure can also be helpful in raising the performance of the whole team.
As with any other pay system, involvement of the workers who will be affected is crucial in the design of the
scheme. They must be involved particularly in the way objectives are set, how performance is measured, and the basis on which team rewards are distributed.

Advantages:
 It positively encourages team working and co-operative behavior.
 It constructively motivates people to achieve higher levels of performance and skill on a team basis.
 It is an effective way to clarify goals and priorities within a team.
 It is an effective way of cascading objectives defined by senior management throughout the subordinate teams.
 It can be usefully deployed in a period of intense organizational change as it can emphasize the necessity for effective team dynamics in flatter organizational structures.
 It can help to bring about a change in cultural attitude particularly with the introduction of customer
focused working practices.
 It encourages flexible working and multi-skilling.
 It provides a good incentive for a team of employees to improve their performance.
 It encourages individual team members to tackle poor performers.
 It is an effective way of enabling employees to work collectively in self directed teams.

Disadvantages:
 Although some organizations extol its virtues, it is sometimes difficult to define the scope and boundaries of the team, and to identify clear and meaningful targets that genuinely reflect group effort.
 As it does not differentiate between high and low performers this could cause resentment within the teams.
 It will only be effective if the team is well managed and positively committed to organizational
improvement. A team, for example, might not need the incentive of extra financial inducement anyway.
 It is difficult to objectively discuss with individual employees what impact their behavior is having
on other employees.
 There is a danger that peer pressure will intensify causing an oppressive and de-motivating atmosphere.
 It is difficult to satisfy the development of methods to measure performance and a fair means of
measuring team performance.
 There could be an organizational problem of uncooperative behavior being shifted from individuals in teams to the relationship between teams.
 Organizational flexibility could be inhibited because people in cohesive, high performing and well-
rewarded teams might be unwilling to move when needed. This could lead to difficulties in reassigning work between teams or breaking up of teams in response to future organizational requirements.
 There is a danger that the team can get into a downward spiral with output being maintained at the level of the lowest common denominator. This will lead to members of a less successful team getting less money and the increased possibility of the team being unable to retain its best staff.
Modernizing pay and rewards strategies:
Pay structures can speak volumes - not only in their implications of values, equality and worth to employees and the community they serve, but to the performance of the authority itself. Getting a structure to reflect this is a challenge local authorities face on an ongoing basis. It requires commitment from senior managers, members and human resources.

What are the benefits?
A modern and strategic pay and rewards system can:

 Lift motivation and drive service improvement if people are rewarded properly for their contributions.
 Increase the efficiency of the day to day running of your pay and rewards system.
 Prevent discrimination and ensure that all staff is paid fairly, thereby eliminating any liability to big equal pay claims.
 Become a powerful method of innovating change and improvement when pay systems are no longer used solely as an administrative tool.
 Help cost/performance calculations to be accurately estimated thereby enabling authorities to inform residents and central government of the actual efficiency of the council's operations - and also provide the chance to identify and act on specific under-performing areas.

Making it work:
Effective pay and rewards systems need commitment and action from senior managers, members and human resources. Councils need to recognize that this is a potentially costly process, especially given the need to deal with equal pay. Changes can be introduced in a step-by-step approach to help control costs.

The following checklists are designed to help establish who exactly should be doing what.

Senior managers and members should:
 Commit to pay equality and ensure that the council develops and promotes an equal pay policy.
 Commit to developing an effective performance management system that integrates individual, team and organizational performance objectives.
 Ensure that pay data is fully integrated into the council's performance management system so that the council's efficiency can be properly assessed through cost/performance calculations.
 Staff needs to see a link between their pay and rewards and their efforts towards service improvement - this culture change should become a strategic corporate objective.

Human resources teams should:
 Demonstrate the strategic impact of new pay systems to senior management.
 Develop proposals for a new pay structure.
 Assess the adequacy of personnel and payroll data.
 Carry out a risk assessment and ensure that they can manage the whole project.
 Carry out an equality impact assessment of the proposals.
 Complete the process of the local pay review.
 Implement the new structure.
 Organize regular equal pay audits after implementation.
 Ensure that training is available for all staff on equality and diversity issues.
 Ensure special training is available for line managers who have been given new performance management responsibilities.
 Communicate pay change and their importance to staff, and encourage their feedback.
 Develop their performance management skills so they can handle appraisals, manage underperformance and give staff work-life balance and development opportunities.
 Manage their teams well so that employees remain motivated and always want to give their best.