Many job seekers have experienced a feeling of frustration that after many interviews, they are yet to secure an offer of appointment. Many things could be wrong, but there is one area we started to look at last week. What do employers want?
You attended interviews, they asked questions, and you provided answers. But are these answered the correct answers? You don’t know. May be nobody knows for sure, except the interviewer. But there are certain qualities and attributes desired by most, if not all employers. We noted however that:
• The point of emphasis differ from position to position
• The requirement for entry point/low level position differs from that of senior/executive positions.
Listed last week as desirable by most, if not all employers are:
• Basic competence- ability to do what you are to be employed for;
• Communication skills-ability to understand and pass instructions both verbal and in writing;
• Interpersonal skills- being able to relate to others, maintain and build relationships;
• Adaptability – ability to welcome and manage change;
• Willingliness to learn;
• Initiative and independence -ability to make your decisions and get result with little supervision;
• Cooperation and collaboration- understanding and working well; and
• Motivation-inner desire for achievement and enthusiasm. Now, let’s go on to discussion on the others in detail.
Commitment
Employers want employees that are reliable and responsible. You are expected to identify closely with the company and her needs, for better for worse. To what extent is the candidate prepared to give committed service to the company? Although the employer does not expect a promise that you will stay for twenty years, he expects a not-too-short stay and sudden exit that will cause disruption in his system. He also expects that you will be committed to doing the job at hand and giving it your best, as long as you are in employment.
Integrity/character
Employers want employees that can do things right as well as those that can do the right things. No matter your brilliance, no employer would take you if you cannot be trusted. They do not like people with disruptive, pernicious, unstable, intolerant or any other negative character.
Positive attitude
A positive attitude to situation and circumstances is desired in all job situations. Every position has its own content of frustrations, disturbances distractions, but all of these are easily surmountable with the right mental attitude. I will tell you, an individual with “get up and go” attitude is worthy of consideration for appointment, even if he fails to meet some other job attributes/requirements.
Analytical skills
To make decisions and properly evaluate situations, candidates with analytical skills are desired by employers. The ability to make reasonable judgments and assess expected and unexpected situations is of great value on any job. Are you able to look at a given work load, set priorities and find ways to solve the most, most immediate and important problems? Will you panic and fall apart in the face of work related crisis?
Personal presentation
Employer consider that job candidates, indeed, all of their employees to be well dressed and groomed. Like they say, at least dress the part i.e. dress in a manner and way that very appropriate for the position you are planning to occupy. Always, be clean and neat.
Healthy body
To perform at all, you need to look and feel well. No employer will readily employ a sickly job candidate. It will cause disaffection and disruption of work later. Note that it is your primary responsibility to remain healthy, and functional.
The attribute we have been discussing since last week applies mostly to entry to middle level managers, and to some extent the executive positions. However, there are some attributes that most employers desire specifically in respect of senior executives. They include the following:
• Experience and know how. Senior manager who wants to move into new positions are expected to bring on the table expertise and practical knowledge. This is critical, as they are not only expected to work with little supervision, but also to provide leadership/coaching for their subordinates. They are expensive, and the major reason they are wanted is that there is nobody within the system with the required experience and know- how to perform the job. You see incompetent executive represent an enormous waste and risk to the enterprise.
• Track record of performance. The position may have because vacant because the previous occupier was eased out for poor performance. Then it is reasonable that the employer will want a replacement with proof of performance. Often history of excellent performance in previous job position(s) give comfort to the employer that if might be better this time.
• Leadership. As I said earlier, senior managers are expected to provide leadership not only within then unit, but also across in the organisation. Employer therefore desire good and tested leaders. They want candidates who know how to be a leader, enjoying being a leader and fully appreciate the attendant responsibilities. He is also expected to understand team dynamics and be able to lead and function with team.
• Administration and management competence. Aside from technical and departmental responsibilities, employers expect senior executives to be versed in administration, policy development and implementation. They need to understand management processes.
• Intrapreneurship. As the organisation becomes large, ownership is somewhat shared, and the chief executive officer may not be in a position to see all the opportunities and threat to the business. He desires managed that would assume “ownership” and look out for business and growth opportunities. He also depends on them for product people and process improvement that will reduce waste and increased profitability.
Now where does all these leave the job hunter? What about these in job hunting? One, jobs are lost and won often times on the basis of these attributes.
A lot of times, more than the number of required candidates ties on the level of basic qualifications and experience. In instances like this, candidates may be chosen the basis of which seemed better on one or two of the attributes we have been discussing considered critical to the job position.
Two, aside from your educational attainments, these desirables when combined well form your unique selling point. Three, match the key attributes you possess with the specific requirements of the employer for the position.
This will work well if you do enough research on the job/company/industry to determine which are the most relevant and critical.
Four, and finally, you must communication this. Even when you have the key attributes desired by an employer in a specific situation, you must endeavour to communicate it to the employer. Don’t ever assume that it is so obvious that he ought to see it. Blow your trumpet.
Use every opportunity and contact with the employer to communicate the match (and your suitability) – application letters, telephone conversations, resume, interview, etc. Now that you have the syllabus, go win yourself some job.
