The Other Side: Recent Episodes
Renata Sguario, James Oana
Do you often think "what does it take to get a job and be successful?" The world of work is changing, and companies are looking to hire employees with excellent human skills. Join recent graduate James Oana and corporate veteran Renata Sguario as they share their experience on making that leap and thriving on the other side.
Receiving feedback can be a scary thing, and the same can often be said for giving feedback to others. And when personal relationships, hard work, and / or a lot of time and effort are involved, things can often feel more challenging. But rest easy folks, mastering the art of feedback doesn’t have to be daunting. In fact, at Maxme, we’ve come to LOVE feedback. It helps us learn from past approaches, grow and improve our offering, heighten our self awareness, and much more. Without it, we really couldn’t move forward. When you think of feedback as a critical tool for development, growth and lifelong learning, it’s a concept we believe everyone can come to embrace, get comfortable with, and encourage! But where to start with feedback, especially in the context of work and career success? Get ready to read, listen and learn!
On our mission to support as many individuals as possible to thrive in work and life, we’re spreading the magic of human skills as widely as possible - through immersive apps, coaching, experiences and partnerships, but also through rich conversations. The Other Side is a mini podcast series by Maxme where our Founder Renata (Ren) Sguario chats with recent graduate James (Jimmy) Oana on the experience of making the leap from Uni to work, and thriving on the other side.
Over 9 episodes (including a bonus intro chat), Ren and Jimmy cover Gen Z career building essentials like what makes a great CV, acing a job interview, seeking and giving feedback, the importance of self awareness, networking, body language and more.
In Episode 9 of The Other Side, Give It to Me Straight, Ren and Jimmy explore the importance of asking for feedback, and the art of both giving and receiving feedback effectively. They review some of James’s past experiences with feedback, alongside Renata’s experience of giving/receiving feedback within the workplace. To close, Ren and Jimmy explore the value of a mentor, and how to seek out the right one for you.
In under 30 minutes, you’ll cover critical tips, insights and tactics for giving and receiving feedback at work:
- The importances of asking for feedback and how to do it
- Giving feedback - order your thoughts with consideration: start with the things that went well before moving to negatives
- Feedback is a gift when given from the heart, with the best constructive interests in mind
- How to receive feedback, especially when it’s negative: how to turn negatives into positives, and build from it
- Jimmy’s personal experiences with feedback: what to do when you’re unsure if your thoughts / feedback is valuable
- Can you give feedback to others more senior to you? Ren’s advice on building confidence in the workplace and within yourself
- Ren’s tips for making feedback purposeful - a great reflection of your personal brand
- What to do with conflicting feedback
- Feedback and the importance of being yourself - do what you think is true to you and represents you the best, then ask for feedback on your approach (baring in mind your interests won’t be right for everyone)
- Asking the right person for feedback, and how to identify the right person
- 360 degree, diverse feedback (not just your friends or people who like you or have similar interests to you)
- How to find a mentor and are they worth it?
- Yes mentors are worth it! Ren’s tips - look for someone who has the time, and approach the relationship with a win-win in mind
- In considering a mentor that’s right for you, think about what can you bring to the table - offer your prospective mentor something new(even as simple as a different way of thinking, or a different, generational perspective).
Is there value in networking for recent graduates, new or recent members of the workforce, or is something only senior professionals need to think about? Networking doesn’t have to mean making smalltalk over drinks or coffee at industry events or conferences, networking can be as simply as leveraging the full extent of your existing family, friends and former colleagues! In fact, if you’re not willing to use the power of your personal circle, professional or personal, you could be missing a great opportunity to get ahead. In many ways, your network is your ‘net worth’ - an asset in your career arsenal that needs to be considered, cultivated and nurtured. Afterall, your network is also a reflection of you and your personal brand - a striking reflection of the company you keep, and the calibre of your relationships. So where to start with networking? Get ready to read, listen and learn!
On our mission to support as many individuals as possible to thrive in work and life, we’re spreading the magic of human skills as widely as possible - through immersive apps, coaching, experiences and partnerships, but also through rich conversations. The Other Side is a mini podcast series by Maxme where our Founder Renata (Ren) Sguario chats with recent graduate James (Jimmy) Oana on the experience of making the leap from Uni to work, and thriving on the other side.
Over 9 episodes (including a bonus intro chat), Ren and Jimmy cover Gen Z career building essentials like what makes a great CV, acing a job interview, seeking and giving feedback, the importance of self awareness, networking, body language and more.
In Episode 8 of The Other Side, The Social Network, Ren and Jimmy unpack common myths around networking, share their personal networking experiences, and welcome special guest (senior corporate leader and networking extraordinaire) Karla to share her insights, tips and tricks on how to network for career success.
In under 30 minutes, you’ll cover the ‘networking for career success’ essentials:
- What networking means, and how to leverage it as a quick-win opportunity to ‘get ahead’
- Ren’s definition of networking and communication - being able to carry yourself in a conversation
- Communication is key to networking and success, but requires practice
- Ren’s commitment to opening doorways for others - networking’s role in personal purpose
- Ren chats about networking with Karla - a Senior Corporate Leader and Networking Extraordinaire
- The importance of nurturing your networks - never ‘set and forget’
- The importance of approaching conversations with ‘higher-power’ professionals (more progressed in their career) as a normal conversation, otherwise they may be sceptical about your intentions
- How to use your network to find a new job - Karla’s personal experience after being made redundant
- People are often more approachable, supportive and willing to connect / help you than you might think
- Embrace your network - if you have people who can open doors for you, don't hesitate to use them!
- It’s a competitive, cluttered world, so be sure to use what you are given - everyone else does!
- Networking isn’t always work based conversations, but starts with a normal conversation first
- Networking isn’t just about finding a job - it can open doors for collaborations, mentoring relationships, personal development, surrounding yourself with more diverse insights, experiences, lifelong learning and more
- Successful network needs to be grounded in authenticity and mutual benefit.
What is body language and why does it matter at work? Body language is one of the most critical elements in effective communication. In fact, over 90% of effective communication is defined by non-verbal aspects. One of the most well-known research projects on nonverbal communication was led by Psychology Professor Dr. Mehrabian in the 1960s, where he found that the interpretation of a message is 7% verbal, 38% vocal and 55% visual. So according to Dr. Mehrabian, communication is 93% “nonverbal” in nature! Thus, from initial job interviews, to weekly presentations to your manager or a bigger group of colleagues, body language is JUST as important, perhaps even moreso, than what you’re actually saying. Body language includes everything from eye contact, to facial expressions, posture, hand gestures, stance and much more. How to get body language right at work? Read, listen and learn!
On our mission to support as many individuals as possible to thrive in work and life, we’re spreading the magic of human skills as widely as possible - through immersive apps, coaching, experiences and partnerships, but also through rich conversations. The Other Side is a mini podcast series by Maxme where our Founder Renata (Ren) Sguario chats with recent graduate James (Jimmy) Oana on the experience of making the leap from Uni to work, and thriving on the other side.
Over 9 episodes (including a bonus intro chat), Ren and Jimmy cover Gen Z career building essentials like what makes a great CV, acing a job interview, seeking and giving feedback, the importance of self awareness, networking, body language and more.
In Episode 7 of The Other Side, Your Body Tells a Different Story, Ren and Jimmy dive into body language - what it is, how to get body language right in job interviews, and the greater role of body language in communication throughout work and life.
In just over 30 minutes, you’ll cover the following body language insights, tips and takeaways:
- The importance of body language and its pivotal role in effective communication - 90-93% of the effectiveness of any communication is determined by the non-verbal aspects (body language)!
- Thinking about ‘how’ you communicate, not just ‘what’ you communicate
- Ren’s personal experience with Toast Masters - self-awareness is key for effective communication
- The role of VOICE in good communication - pitch, pace and tone
- James shares his personal experience with ‘communication readiness’ for interviews - a critical skill he has built over time through much reflection, practice and confidence
- The importance of practice in gaining confidence at public speaking, and the role of body language in effective public speaking
- The role of eye contact, pacing and voice inflection in good communication and earning trust
- Good communication and body language will help you ‘sell messages’ to key audiences, for instance sharing an idea, telling your story or seeking approval for funds or sign-off
- Tips for body language in job interviews - how you sit in your chair, reading the room, taking time to reflect on your surroundings, channelling nerves into good energy, how to use your hands
- What to wear to a job interview - do your research, dress prepared and in keeping with the ‘culture’ of the employer, best to over-dress than under-dress.
What on earth is an assessment centre, and why do I need to know about them when applying for jobs? Assessment centres are involved in many interviews, particularly if you’re applying for roles at big corporate organisations with multi-stage processes. An assessment centre is a process where candidates are examined to determine their suitability for specific types of employment, especially management or military command. The candidates' personality and aptitudes are determined by techniques including interviews, group exercises, presentations, examinations and psychometric testing. Long story short - they’re pretty important for Uni graduates to know about!
On our mission to support as many individuals as possible to thrive in work and life, we’re spreading the magic of human skills as widely as possible - through immersive apps, coaching, experiences and partnerships, but also through rich conversations. The Other Side is a mini podcast series by Maxme where our Founder Renata (Ren) Sguario chats with recent graduate James (Jimmy) Oana on the experience of making the leap from Uni to work, and thriving on the other side.
Over 9 episodes (including a bonus intro chat), Ren and Jimmy cover Gen Z career building essentials like what makes a great CV, acing a job interview, seeking and giving feedback, the importance of self awareness, networking, body language and more.
In Episode 6 of The Other Side, How to Ace Assessment Centres, Ren and Jimmy explore what listeners can expect from assessment centre ‘testing’, and share some important tips for how to excel in group interviews too.
In 40 minutes, you’ll cover the following essentials for group interview and assessment centre success:
- Jimmy’s personal experience with group interviews, and why they made him particularly nervous
- Ren’s personal experiences with assessment centres
- Why group interviews matter - important and powerful way to show how you operate in a group
- What employers look for in group interviews - for people who are mindful, aware, and can find ways to contribute value in difficult situations
- What will an assessment centre ‘test’ involve? Often exam-like case studies, scenarios and ‘problems’ to put your skills and capabilities - most typically ‘soft skills’ / EQ to the test
- Assessment centres help to identify people who are good at listening authentically, and engaging others
- What is ‘interdependence’? A characteristic that helps employers appraise and understand your ability to operating in teams, to playback information to a group, and add value
- Practice and experience with assessment centres will help you improve over time - don’t expect to ace it up front
- Common activities and exercises you can expect in group interviews
- Key phrases and ideas you should know when going into assessment centres - more powerful to ask a question rather than make a statement, you don’t need to have all the answers!
- After listening - be sure to share a strong point of view
- How Jimmy’s assessment centre experience helped him to identify that the employer wasn’t for him.
“How do I ace a job interview?” is one of the most frequently asked questions we get at Maxme, and it’s not difficult to understand why. It takes a LOT of work to land a job interview, let alone ace it! With the employment market more competitive than ever, the ability to verbally ‘sell yourself’ in an authentic, memorable way has never been more important.
On our mission to support as many individuals as possible to thrive in work and life, we’re spreading the magic of human skills as widely as possible - through immersive apps, coaching, experiences and partnerships, but also through rich conversations. The Other Side is a mini podcast series by Maxme where our Founder Renata (Ren) Sguario chats with recent graduate James (Jimmy) Oana on the experience of making the leap from Uni to work, and thriving on the other side.
Over 9 episodes (including a bonus intro chat), Ren and Jimmy cover Gen Z career building essentials like what makes a great CV, acing a job interview, seeking and giving feedback, the importance of self awareness, networking, body language and more.
In Episode 5 of The Other Side, The Mock Interview, Ren and Jimmy mock up an interview scenario with Ren as interviewer, and James under the spotlight. This fun episode comes jammed with tips, tricks and plenty of real-world tactics you can start practicing today, to apply in interviews from tomorrow!
In just over 35 minutes, you’ll discover how to perform in typical interview scenarios, and respond to common interview questions such as:
- “Tell me a bit about yourself …” - how to use an elevator pitch in your interview response
- How to use ‘prepared’ answers, without sounding like a wrote-learned / ‘standard’ response
- Shining the light on strengths, and comfortably talking about weaknesses
- How to use pause, and take your time with interview answers
- How to handle curve-ball questions in interviews - it’s ok not to have an answer, but try to provide relevant information or a perspective
- “What are your key areas of development?” … - a perfect opportunity to demonstrate lifelong learning and a curious growth mindset
- “Give me an example of when you’ve had difficulty working with other people, and how you overcame these difficulties?”
- “What brings you to this organisation, and why are you keen to work here?”
- The importance of demonstrating your interest in, and background knowledge of, the company, but don’t regurgitate what they already know - weave in your own stories and make it relevant to you
- “Do you have any questions for us?” - how to use prior research to ask about possible direction of company (e.g investments), strategy, employee benefits, social impact etc.
“How to ace a job interview?” is one of the highest searched questions online, and it’s not difficult to understand why. It takes a LOT of work to land that first interview, let alone ace it! With the employment market more competitive than ever before, it has never been important to be able to verbally ‘sell yourself’, to cut through with authenticity, and to leave the employer wanting more!
On our mission to support as many people as possible to thrive in work and life, we’re spreading the magic of human skills far and wide - through immersive apps, coaching, experiences and partnerships, but also through rich conversations. The Other Side is a mini podcast series by Maxme where our Founder Renata (Ren) Sguario chats with recent graduate James (Jimmy) Oana on the experience of making the leap from Uni to work, and thriving on the other side. Over 9 episodes (including a bonus intro chat), Ren and James cover Gen Z career building essentials like what makes a great CV, acing a job interview, seeking and giving feedback, the importance of self awareness, networking, body language and more.
Episode 4 of The Other Side, The Art of Interviews, is all about the essentials of ‘selling yourself’ in the verbal form in a way that’s authentic, memorable, and simply too good to refuse.
In just 26 minutes, you’ll cover:
- Face to Face interviews - the importances of knowing yourself and being able to convey your story
- Jimmy’s first interview experience, and his approach to researching companies
- The challenges of second interviews, and the positives of rejections
- Importances of ‘vibes’ in interviews
- Ren’s interview experiences; both as a senior interviewer, and an interviewee
- Feeling the ‘chemistry’ within job interviews
- The importance of using pause - pausing allows you to show you’re thinking careful about an answer, rather than offering a rote learned response
- Shows interviewer you have a level of respect for the question asked
- Not needing to have all the answers, and are jokes ok? The unwritten rules around jokes ...
- Self awareness - knowing your strengths and weaknesses
- What to do in an interview if you don’t have the answer
- The benefits of showing humility towards an interviewer
- The importances of being yourself, and how to do it in a way that’s appealing
- How to be more relaxed
- The power of researching your prospective employer - allows you to have more talking points in the interview, allows the interviewer to feel more attached to you, as you are talking about something they are apart of
- How to talk about your strengths and passions in an interview
- How to talk about your weaknesses or derailers in an interview - showing self awareness, and a willingness to expose vulnerabilities
- Always practice, practice, practice before an interview
- Be sure to take time to reflect on interviews to see what worked well and what didn't, and don't hesitate to ask for feedback from interviewers
- Be professional, but don't take yourself too seriously
- Everyone loves a compliment, so do your best to convey why you are there for the interview, and what you like most about the company.
“How to write a cover letter?” is one of the highest searched questions online, and it’s not difficult to understand why. It takes a LOT of work to land that first interview, let alone a job! With the employment market more competitive than ever before, it has never been important for your CV to cut through the clutter with clarity and excellence. Moreover, the world of work is changing daily, and companies are now looking to hire employees with human skills, not just technical capabilities … so how can candidates communicate such skills?
On our mission to support as many people as possible to thrive in work and life, we’re spreading the magic of human skills far and wide - through immersive apps, coaching, experiences and partnerships, but also through rich conversations. The Other Side is a mini podcast series by Maxme where our Founder Renata (Ren) Sguario chats with recent graduate James (Jimmy) Oana on the experience of making the leap from Uni to work, and thriving on the other side. Over 9 episodes (including a bonus intro chat), Ren and James cover Gen Z career building essentials like what makes a great CV, acing a job interview, seeking and giving feedback, the importance of self awareness, networking, body language and more.
Episode 3 of The Other Side, The Ultimate CV and Cover Letter, is all about the essentials of ‘selling yourself’ in the written form in order to land the job you really want!
In just over 30 minutes, you’ll discover:
- James’ top tip for using platforms like Seek or LinkedIn to perform keyword research in line with the job you’re applying for
- How to write your cover letter in a truly authentic way that grabs recruiters’ attention
- Making sure to get small aspects of the cover letter correct such as the hygiene factors, e.g spelling, formatting and names
- Being true to yourself in order to find a company that meets YOUR needs and expectations (i.e. using your self awareness)
- Tailoring your cover letter and CV to the job description
- Making connections with the Employer via job descriptions and vibe of the company culture, and tailoring your letter and CV accordingly
- Optimal length of a CV, and making sure your information is relevant and valuable
- Striking the right balance between ‘being authentic’, and tailoring your pitch to the employer
- Telling ‘whole-self story’ in order to give your CV an edge - the importance of emotional value
- What’s best left for an interview, versus CV
- Corporate recruitment insights from Human Resource leader Katherine (Kat) - a highly experienced HR professional in business
- Kat explains that a Cover Letter is critical, and acts as the link that tells the company WHO you are and why they should hire you - be disciplined with your response, what makes a good CV and a bad CV
- The importance of a well formatted CV
- Kat’s view on VIA character strength surveys - a positive with critical self awareness benefits
- Developing an elevator pitch
- The importance of referencing your key achievements, not just activities you’ve participated in.
What is self awareness, and why does it matter? All Maxme human skills learning experiences start with six foundational skills, and self awareness is the jewel in that critical crown. By definition, self awareness is having a clear perception of your personality, including strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, motivation, and emotions. Self Awareness allows you to understand other people, how they perceive you, your attitude and your responses to them in the moment. Thus, when it comes to optimising your employability, and ‘attractiveness’ to prospective employers, it’s not hard to see why self awareness - one of our favourite human skills - is a non-negotiable place to start!
Enriching careers mean thriving humans, and that’s the reason we exist! On our mission to help as many people as possible to thrive, we’re spreading the magic of human skills far and wide - through immersive apps, coaching, experiences and partnerships, but also through rich conversations.
The Other Side is a mini podcast series by Maxme where our Founder Renata (Ren) Sguario chats with recent graduate James Oana on the experience of making the leap from Uni to work, and thriving on the other side. Over 9 episodes (including a bonus intro chat), Ren and James cover Gen Z career building essentials like what makes a great CV, acing a job interview, seeking and giving feedback, the importance of self awareness, networking, body language and more.
Episode 2 of The Other Side, Know Thyself, is all about sharpening your understanding of self awareness, how to become more self aware, and how to leverage self awareness to land that dream job!
In under 40mins minutes, you’ll cover:
- What it means to have a strong sense of self awareness, and how to leverage it to your career-building advantage
- How to talk about about your strengths and weaknesses in an interview
- What is means to ‘be your own CEO’ - how to sell yourself (the product) to the interviewer (the buyer)
- The six critical human skills, and why they’re important
- How self awareness can help you find a great job, and thrive in the role once you land it!
- Ren’s personal experience with taking interviews - the benefits of talking openly and honestly about weaknesses
- How to talk about your strengths with humility
- Taking the time to build your strengths - get started NOW for free with Hodie app!
- Learning to ‘tell your story’ through a cover letter, and in interviews
- Taking the Maxme Strengths Survey via the first Self Awareness module in Hodie app, your human skills hero. Get started NOW for free with Hodie app!
- Jimmy’s ‘elevator pitch’ - four key points he wants to covery to the listener
- Self awareness through the lens of a corporate HR / graduate recruiting professional, Taryn
- Self awareness according to Taryn - vital in work and life
- Being authentic in interviews, ‘being true to who you are’
- To be successful in today’s rapidly changing workforce, professionals MUST have high self awareness in order to thrive in teams
- Top 3 ways to develop self awareness in order to ace a job interview.
“What does it take to get a job and be successful?” is one of the highest searched questions online, and it’s not difficult to understand why. A reliable job and rewarding career not only enables us to survive financially, but thrive as individuals. When we’re contributing value to ‘something bigger’ and more purposeful than ourselves, it puts our strengths to good use, solidifies our identity, and builds self worth.
Enriching careers mean thriving humans, and that’s the reason we exist! On our mission to help as many people as possible to thrive, we’re spreading the magic of human skills far and wide - through immersive apps, coaching, experiences and partnerships, but also through rich conversations.
The Other Side is a mini podcast series by Maxme where our Founder Renata (Ren) Sguario chats with recent graduate James Oana on the experience of making the leap from Uni to work, and thriving on the other side. Over 9 episodes (including a bonus intro chat), Ren and James cover Gen Z career building essentials like what makes a great CV, acing a job interview, seeking and giving feedback, the importance of self awareness, networking, body language and more.
Episode 1 of The Other Side, Our New Beginning, is all about introducing you to Ren, James, and the topics ahead.
In just over 20 minutes, you’ll discover what’s in store for the next 8 episodes ahead:
- The Importance of Self Awareness
- The Ultimate CV and Cover Letter
- The Art of Interviews
- The Mock Interview
- How to Ace Assessment Centres
- The Importance of Body Language
- Having and Cultivating a Network
- Giving and Receiving Feedback.
- Special guest interviewees lined up for the Series such as HR specialists, graduate recruiters and networking professionals.
- Why Ren and James decided to start The Other Side podcast, the nature of their mentoring relationship, and desire to share their own journeys with listeners across the world facing similar challenges
- James’ personal experience as a University Graduate hunting for work, and keen interest in helping other Gen Z’s just like him
- The importance of self reflection in order to move forward
- Getting started with skills building, and the importance of doing so as early as possible - don’t leave it until you’re job hunting!
- ‘Academic skills might land you an interview, but soft skills will get you a job’
- Automation in the workplace won’t require as many jobs, but human skills have a critical role to play
- The power of confidence
- An introduction to self awareness (see Episode 5 of The Other Side for more on this!).