Demonstrated Life-long Learner

from Joyce Lasecke, President

on October 27, 2009

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I spend a lot of time speaking with people who would like to work for Fredrickson. I most enjoy the conversations with those who are curious and always learning. They expand their professional skills in spite of limited opportunities to do so in their current job.  Many are artists, musicians, actors, athletes, or mentors outside of work.  Or they are otherwise active in their communities or professional associations.  Finally, they are interested in learning about other cultures and perspectives. 
People with these traits, I’ve found, are often the most adaptable to change and the most productive amid change. 
Yet I wonder whether there is still reluctance among job-seekers and employers to acknowledge and discuss how experiences outside of work contribute to what the person can bring to a particular job?  Just today, I interviewed a person in the learning and development field.  Her past career as a winter sports coach came up in conversation, and I expressed my surprise that she hadn’t included this experience on her resume.  She had chosen to omit it out of concern that an employer would form a negative impression of her character and wonder whether she’d be asking for extra time off to pursue the coaching. I hope I convinced her that 1-on-1 sports coaching was directly relevant to 1-on-1 corporate leadership coaching!
I’d like to see “demonstrated life-long learner” become a standard requirement on all job descriptions.

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