How to Find a Job in a Tough Economy!
Posted by wvdasmpilan on October 20, 2010
From interviews with highly educated dentists to brand-new entry-level sterilization technicians, I can tell you that the good ones always stand out.
Here are the big factors, in no particular order:
1) Motivation. Do I have to motivate them or are they already self-motivated?
2) Appearance. Sad, but true. We live in a visual society. I don’t want to hire slobs. I want to hire neat, tidy and clean people, proud of their appearance.
3) Knowledge. Does the person have a basic grasp of the job they are applying for? If they don’t and I like their #4, do they have the cognitive ability to learn it quickly, and with minimal direction and hand-holding. I like fast learners willing to be “thrown into the fire.”
4) Personality. This is the BIG one. If not the #1 factor, it’s right up there. I like outgoing, strong-willed people. I have never had much luck at hiring introverts, worried about having to talk to someone. If someone approaches me with an out-stretched hand and are eager to meet me, the feeling’s mutual.
5) What have they done to separate themselves from the other 20 or 50 applicants I’ve reviewed? Anything unique?
6) What PROMISE do they show as a future employee? Are they upfront about their intentions on growth and some day, leaving the “nest?”
What does it all boil down to? Certainly NOT where or how long you went to school. It’s not how much you paid for your education. It’s not even how hard your education was.
In looking at the dozens and dozens of successful team members I’ve hired over the years, it comes down to the few key factors I mention above.
It’s up to you to package up these “traits” most employers are looking for and do so in a way that you can communicate it effectively during an interview.
And, the successful, long-term team members I have hired all have one thing in common: they are HONEST. That’s something you cannot first know in an interview. It takes time to discern it and let people prove it to you. And, as a team member, by making the honest decision every time, you’ll sleep at night and be invaluable to those around you.
Essentially, you have to stand out, add tremendous value to the organization you are trying to join and you have to be willing to do what others will not. What does all this mean and how can you package it up to equal success?
