The Five Basic Problems with Virtual Communication: Lack of Empathy
Imagine this scene: You have an interview for a position in a company that you are really excited about. You've done your research and you are ready for the meeting. You have a gut feeling that this could really work out in your favor! About an hour before the meeting you get an email from the company converting the physical meeting to a virtual one -- a virtual chat. You have never used the technology, but now that you don't have to commute to the office you have more time. All you need to do is download the app and log in when prompted. When you get on the call, the connection is poor and you fumble a bit finding the right background for the video chat. You are concerned that you aren't coming across as confident as you feel and when you hang up, you have a sinking feeling that you might have blown it. In fact, you might have. The truth is that online relationships must go well, or they won't go at all. There is a general belief that "If I do something stupid it's because I'm having a bad day. If you do something stupid, it's because of a character flaw." Openness is an important part of getting a relationship off to a good start. Openness is how you send welcoming signals with our faces, torso, hands, and body, spatial distance, etc. How can you do that in a video chat? You really can't. Our virtual world of Amazon, Facebook, and others and the suggested products and sites based on web behavior, kind of create a feeling of intimacy and friendship. This faux intimacy is a loop that never closes because it lacks the personal connection and empathy. Video doesn't help build the personal connection the way we think it should either. Out unconscious minds are not receiving the information we would get in person although it seems like we are or that we should because we can see the other person. Humans are social beings. Our survival depends on our understanding the actions, intentions, and emotions of others. This is empathy. Our mirror neurons allow us to understand other people's mind, not only through conceptual reasoning but through imitation. Feeling, not thinking. So what can you do to build more empathy in your virtual relationships? Start by taking an empathy assessment to get insight into your level of empathy. This is from UC Berkeley: <iframe src="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/embed/empathy" width="100%" scrolling="no" id="iFrameResizer0" style="overflow: hidden; border:0;"></iframe> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/embedjs"></script> (greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/empathy) to get your baseline. From there, you might rad Roman Krznaric's "Six Habits of Highly Empathic People". As far as the interview goes? Send a solid thank you note! Stay tuned for tomorrow's topic: Lack of Control - your on-line life must be congruent with who you are and consistent
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Interview Questions
I left a job 7 months ago after being there almost 9 years. The last 2 I did my best to tolerate an extremely toxic environment after a new supervisor was put in place. Verbal abuse, age discrimination, retaliation, bullying, just barely scratches the surface of the environment. It was taking a toll on my health, both mentally and physically. Long story short, I was able to settle with the company through an attorney (to avoid legal proceedings). I’m having a horrible time in interviews when they ask why I left. My explanation has been that “after a corporate restructuring, they began enabling behaviors that were not consistent with my values so I made the unfortunate decision to look for new challenges”. Im getting reactions that tell me they don’t believe me, almost incredulous looks and snarky comments from hiring managers. Obviously I’m trying not to bad mouth my previous employer but not sure how else to broach that subject — especially when they ask what I’ve been doing since then (looking for a job, LOL!?) I leave the interview feeling defeated, although my skills and resume are definitely getting me through to 2nd and 3rd interviews. Anyone gave any other suggestions or insights into this? Leaving without something else lined up was definitely not ideal, but I had to put my health first. I tried for too long to make it work over there.
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As a transgender women who has not transitioned, is a tomboy and a lesbian.
It has been so hard to keep a job longer than 6 to 8 months. Anyone have input or some perspective for me?
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What on earth is going on with job interviews these days?
Some want to do a "virtual" interview, where they send you a link to video record your responses to questions, other times you have to go back to meet in-person between 5 and 8 times to continuously meet different staff members to obtain their approval. The lack of clear (human) communication these days is outrageous.
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Save the date, our fourth-annual Inspiration Summit on May 14, 2024 is designed to educate, uplift, and inspire The Muse and Fairygodboss user communities — and it’s always an incredible event!
Join us for a day full of exciting discussion on topics such as:
•Combating burnout
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•And more!
Network with career-minded women, hear from thought-leading keynotes, and walk away with actionable tips and strategies to advance your career and serve as an ally for women in the workplace. Register for free to secure your spot ✨! https://fgb.fyi/47vu6SD
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Questions on a potential career change
I recently graduated with my undergraduate in Healthcare Administration, and I can’t find a job to save my life. To help me boost my resume, I’ve been considering obtaining a certification from Coursera in Human Resources. Note I have no experience in HR, so I’m a little apprehensive about going that route because I don’t know if it will hurt me or help me. I’m wondering how it will be viewed. Help.
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why Are jobs reposting the same job for $20-30K BELOW what the original post was.
I am applying for jobs in associations and nonprofit organizations, and I am seeing a trend that is getting worse and worse. I see a great job for $65-85K. I apply for that job, only to get an automated email that they are going in a different direction. THEN the exact same job—title, responsibilities, and specifics are all the time—is posted at a different salary. The salary range is so significantly lower that I can’t afford that job anymore.
Instead of a manager job making $65-85K, now it is $35-50K. It is blowing my mind.
On Monday, you will apply for a $65K a year job. On Thursday, you will get the ding email. On Friday, they repost the same job for $40K.
Is this happening in every sector right now or just in the association and nonprofit sector?
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