Get Ready to Master a New Skill!

Marcianne Kuethen

June 18, 2013

One question that hiring managers frequently ask candidates during job interviews is, What have you done to improve your skills or learn new ones? Every employer wants to hire a life-long learner, someone who takes initiative and is always pursuing personal growth. It’s a great question to ask yourself as you manage your career: What are you currently doing to improve yourself?

If you are analytical, then you will love Tim Ferriss’s 4-step process for how to master any new skill. Strategist Steve Rubel, who interviewed Ferriss regarding his new book The Four Hour Chef, breaks it down into bite-sized chunks we can easily digest. Here’s a brief synopsis:

Deconstruction–start with the outcome in mind and figure out how to measure it. Then identify the specific ingredients you’ll need to achieve it.

Selection–Narrow the ingredients down to the most important 20% and focus on those.

Sequencing–Using data sets you can compare, determine how to order those ingredients or skills.

Stakes–Figure out what keeps you motivated so you stick with your new goal.

If your career is flatlining or you just feel like you’re going stale, maybe you’re ready to master a new skill! To check out Rubel’s article which more fully describes Tim Ferriss’s 4-step method, click here.

Article originally published on linkedin.com by Steve Rubel.

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