Excellence-Seeking Vs Failure-Avoiding Perfectionism

Join Isaiah as he shares the downside of perfectionism in your job search and he breaks down the difference between seeking excellence and avoiding failure

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode:

• First, Isaiah covers essential facts about how we perceive perfectionism
• Next, he’s going to dive into why perfectionism can blindside your job search
• Finally, Isaiah is going to break down the difference between seeking excellence and avoiding failure

From This Week’s Show…

My Biggest Weakness Is That I’m A Perfectionist

You’ve heard it before and may have even said so during a job interview.

Many PhDs mistakenly think that being a perfectionist is a worthy quality.

But research shared by Harvard Business Review might have you thinking twice about this, especially regarding a job search.

Psychologists have devoted nearly 100 studies to this topic, and the results reveal some surprising statistics about perfectionism in the workplace.

Psychologists have shown that perfectionism can be broken down into two types: excellence-seeking and failure-avoiding.

All Of These Studies Have Shown That There Is No Correlation Between Performance And Perfectionism

People who were identified as excellence-seeking were amenable to working longer hours, were described as highly motivated, and reportedly very engaged.

Failure-avoiding perfectionism, on the other hand, involves an obsessive aversion to failure.

This type of perfectionist is preoccupied with their work being “good enough,” and often worries they are being judged.

They may be aware of areas they could improve, but instead, they focus their energy on hiding what they perceive to be faulted.

This type is generally uncomfortable trying new things and rarely expresses pride in their work or accomplishments.

The Problem With Any Perfectionist And Their Job Search Is That Rejection Is Unavoidable

And do you know what a perfectionist does when they don’t know how to avoid rejection?

They do nothing.

That’s why I want you to reframe how you see failure.

I want you to replace the idea of failure with the opportunity to learn something new.

A beginner’s mindset – the ability to see what might have been wrong, tweak the formula, and try again – is what will get you into the job you want in industry.

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** for the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.