Are You a Lark or an Owl?
This great question was asked of me when I first started out in the work world. Twenty years old and right out of college, I was working my first job at a staffing and recruitment firm doing business development and recruiting.
One morning, while drinking my coffee and getting ready to start the day, my sales manager came up to me and asked, “Brad, are you a lark or an owl?” I was a little confused by his question, to say the least. Truthfully, not knowing what a lark was (in mythology and literature, a lark stands for a bird flying at daybreak) and unsure how I could relate to an owl, I really had no idea how to respond.
My manager looked at me and laughed at my uncertainty, and then asked, “Are you a morning person (a lark) or an afternoon/night person (an owl)?” He meant, was I livelier and more energetic in the morning or more like that later in the day?
Relieved at the simplicity of his question, I responded quickly that I was definitely a morning person. I have always been the type of person who could wake up at 5 am and feel like I can run a marathon while juggling chainsaws at the same time. In the morning, I am ready to take on the world, but when the clock hits 3 pm, I am chugging coffee and blasting Pearl Jam out of my speakers, trying not to let the long day take over my body and mind.
After I responded, my manager told me to start scheduling important meetings and phone calls for the morning as he was certain I’d get a better reaction from my clients and candidates. The advice was great because I wanted my energy and passion to translate to my clients and candidates, so they were equally excited to work with me.
Clearly, this can work the other way around too. If you are the type of person who doesn’t even want to communicate with the outside world until it’s 11 am (or later), use that knowledge about yourself to your advantage. Schedule your important calls or meetings for later in the day — that’s when you’ll be at your sharpest and truly connecting with your clients.
This is also very beneficial for job seekers who are scheduling interviews with recruiters and prospective employers. If possible, schedule interviews when you are feeling your best and can emit that energy you want to present outward.
Now, at 50 years old and the owner of my two staffing agencies, I make sure to ask all my new employees this valuable question, which I now am asking you:
“Are you an owl or a lark?”
