Laurie over at Punk Rock HR has a wonderful post up about being authentic and what it means. This got me thinking; do you have different hats that morph your personality? Let me explain.
You have your true authentic self that may not be ideal for all functions or positions so you slap on a hat that morphs you a little to fit the situations. For example, the raw and authentic me is an introvert; my coworkers would disagree. Wearing the “extrovert” hat takes a great deal of energy out of me, if I wear it too long I get seriously grumpy and intolerant of large groups of people.
How many hats do you wear or are you just you where ever you go despite the situation?
If you wear different hats, how long can you wear one hat before it begins to disintegrate?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
“How many hats do you wear or are you just you where ever you go despite the situation?”
That’s a great question April. Most people who know me say that I’m pretty consistent in- and outside of work. I’m quiet and pretty low-key. The major difference is that I swear a lot less at work!
Another difference is that I’m not in charge at my organization. This means that I can’t always do the things I want to do, like walk around in my pajamas all day.
Overall, I’m pretty lucky!
Creating my own company and brands means that I wear multiple hats: owner, writer, brand manager, accountant, etc. I’m also a woman who loves my cats, loves my husband, and keeps my house in running order. I pay bills and clean toilets. I fill bird feeders and sweep out the garage.
Hopefully, throughout all of this, I’m a decent human being. When I meet people on a professional level, I hope they can sense that I’m a well-rounded and down-to-earth woman who eats potato chips and drinks cheap margaritas.
Companies hire decent, hard-working, and interesting people. When I coach candidates for job interviews, I tell them to convey authenticity through specific anecdotes that move the interviewer to a greater realization. You want to tell a compelling and interesting story that leads a hiring manager to think, “This is the candidate I should hire.”
@CCC ah, the longing to wear PJs all day….I can so relate. I was, for the part, in charge of a good majority of things at my last employer. I do miss having the ability the do the things I want to do. Love the comment about swearing at work. I have to tone it down at work as well, when I’m in my office by myself though….that’s another story.
@Laurie I hope to one day wear similar self employed hats. I dont see you as anything other than a down to earth woman
Great advice for candidates. I love the ones that come in with a story that correlates to their resume; make me laugh with said story for double points.
I wear many hats, but all are me. The biggest dichotomy is probably work Jim and comedian Jim. When I’m on the stage that is an exaggerated version of myself. Not zany exaggerated, but as the controller of the narrative, I choose how to paint myself.