Abstract: Generally speaking, you know exactly what you want if you apply for a job. You want a company you love, great co-workers, a decent salary, most importantly, you want to love what you'll be doing.
But the question is do you ever consider what the employer is looking for in its employees?
These days, competition is fierce among job seekers. So it's important to know what employers want in an employee before going into an interview so that candidates can sell themselves in a better way.
"If the candidate doesn't know what the employer is looking for, he or she can't properly communicate why they are the most qualified candidate for the position," an employer of a famous company said, "Understanding what the employer is looking for ahead of the interview is so that the candidate can be sure to communicate all of the information that is likely to be most relevant to the employer."
In addition, employers said that the basic job qualifications (10%), multitasking (36%), initiative (31%) and creative thinking (21%) are the most important characteristics in a job applicant.
We asked six workplace experts to address 10 of the most common reasons employers hire employees, in no particular order. Hopefully, they can help you prepare to land your next job.
1. Ability to work well with others
"You see, we spend two thirds of our time at work. So there is nothing worse than someone who cannot get along with others," Santana says. "Absolutely, it is rather important to be helpful, respectful, reliable and competent, understanding the unwritten rules, also."
There is an typical example, "I was interviewing someone for a job and asked about a situation where he had experienced a challenging situation at work. He told me about a situation where the company had a major deadline and needed all hands on deck. He was able to pause what he was working on and pitch in, working late hours to help the team meet the deadline."
2. Ability to make money
No hiring manager would like to take those who bring nothing to the increase of the organization's revenues and decrease of the costs. Employers love metrics. The more you can quantify your work, the better. So if you're a filing clerk, estimate how many minutes a day your work has saved your previous employers by looking at how much faster it is for people to access the information they need.
3. Impressive resume
If first impressions are lasting ones, then a resume is the vehicle to either make a good impression or a poor one. So the suggestion is to make sure several people review the resume for content, style and accuracy.
4. Relevant work experience
Experience levels generally allow a person to hit the ground running without a lot of hand-holding since managers do not have time to mentor and train people as in the past. So if you have relevant working experience, say it out.
5. Creative problem-solving skills
Employers know that in business, the chessboard changes daily. As soon as we think all is fine, the economy changes or the competition makes a surprise move and the company's own strategy must change. So a person who gets locked into a set way of doing things finds it difficult or impossible to adjust. They are a drag on the business as opposed to an asset for it. So you are required to know how to tackle challenges and opportunities in a way no one will find in a textbook.
6. Enthusiasm and initiative
By taking initiative, you convey a true team spirit and illustrate that you are not someone who simply meets the criteria of a job description, but who goes above and beyond what is required to help the business succeed. So if you show consistent enthusiasm and take initiative on the job, you can count on being noticed and rewarded. Every business looks to put their most enthusiastic people forward with important clients and customers.
Last but not least, don't forget to say, 'Good morning' with a lilt in your voice; when you pass someone in the hall, smile and say 'Hello'. It's easy to clam up around top management when you are new to the business world, but showing confidence and a comfort level with people more senior to you, which will lead to your being considered for more challenging work.
