R&D

Are you still on Version 1.0? Have you kept up with the times?

What is the length of your CV?

Do you just add your latest job to your CV, without changing the old ones? Are the older jobs still relevant?

How often do you upgrade your product? Have you been conducting good R&D on yourself?

The first iPhone was introduced to the world in 2007 by Steve Jobs. Today, Apple Store sells iPhone 14 Pro Max. Soon, iPhone 15 will be launched.

There is a new iteration of this wonderful product for the last 15 years. It is not a surprise that Apple is still leading the world in innovation and there is a huge following to buy Apple products.

If you are a product, are you still at version 1.0? How often do you upgrade your product? Have you been conducting good R&D on yourself?

As a headhunter, I'm often curious about what improvements have a candidate made in his/her career. This is equivalent to the R&D department of a company.

I'm an Apple fan. Every year, Apple brings out new products (iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, MacBook, etc.) to excite the fans and win new customers.

When it comes to our careers, we cannot expect our education that took place 10 or 20 years ago to be relevant today.

When was the last time you updated your CV? What new things have you added to it? Do "you" (the product) come with new features or offerings? Are you still "the same old product"?

I see a common mistake that some senior professionals made in their CVs. The earlier part of their career (e.g. production engineer, accountant or analyst) was given equal attention to their last 10 years.

This presentation style does not make the "product" attractive for a headhunter or a potential employer.

The length of CV gets longer and longer, but the product seems less relevant or has not kept up with the times.

What have you learned deeply recently?

The world is evolving very rapidly. There are many things that you can learn on a daily basis.

What books have you read recently?
What did you gain from those books?
How have the books inspired you to act differently?
What new knowledge or skills have you acquired?
What deep learning have you taken in the last 3-5 years?

You may substitute “books” with other media. There are many good online learning materials offered by LinkedIn Learning, Coursera and Udemy.

But don’t think that taking shortcuts like viewing TikTok video advice is a good way to learn deeply.

Answering those questions in a meaningful way is important for me to assess whether the candidate is motivated to learn and improve.

The next time when you meet a headhunter or a hiring manager, be prepared to share your R&D efforts with the interviewer. Take a structured and intentional approach to explain what you have learned and how your R&D efforts are relevant to your potential new employer.

Also, make an effort to demonstrate that even though you may not fulfill 100% of the skills in the requirement, your R&D and learning ability will propel you forward quickly.

In other words, just telling me that you are a quick learner has very little meaning. Instead, tell me exactly what you have learned, how have you learned it, and what have you done with your learning.

R&D may include a formal education program like completing a Bachelor’s Degree, an MBA, or a Ph.D. But it is not just about degrees and certificates.

As a product, it is about offering new features and benefits to the user. As a jobhunter, it is about gaining new competencies that are relevant to the company.