Saying one thing and meaning another

Ever get into one of those situations where you find out you’ve been using a word or phrase to describe something, and you find out the word or phrase doesn’t actually mean what you thought it meant?

Reason I ask is because it’s just happened to me. Turns out I’ve been using the phrase “reverse engineering” a bit incorrectly. According to the ever-helpful Wikipedia:

Reverse engineering (RE) is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device, object or system through analysis of its structure, function and operation. It often involves taking something (e.g. a mechanical device, electronic component, or software program) apart and analyzing its workings in detail, usually to try to make a new device or program that does the same thing without copying anything from the original.

Me, I’ve been using “reverse engineering” in a “begin with the end in mind” sense. (You may recognize that latter phrase as Habit #2 of Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”)

More specifically, what I’ve noticed over time is that a lot of job seeking folks – from entry level to C-level and everywhere in between – will forage through job postings, find positions that look interesting, and send a resume. (Perhaps stopping briefly to tweak the resume for the particular company, and definitely tweaking the cover letter so it’s not addressed to the wrong company.)

And what I’ve been calling “reverse engineering” recently is just my way of saying that a better way would be to describe for yourself what the ideal next position would look like, before you even get near a job board.

Because if you know what that position looks like, then it’s easier to answer related questions, like:

1. What knowledge or skills would I need to have in order to land that position?

2. What kinds of questions would an interviewer ask in hiring for that position?

3. What would a hiring manager need to see on a resume to confidently offer an interview slot?

4. Where are the gaps between who I am now, and where I’d have to be, to be successful with the three items above?

5. What’s my plan for filling those gaps?

Granted, there’s a lot more that goes into landing a new position, but I think you’d agree that going through this process would increase your odds. Which is never a bad thing.

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