Launch a research campaign
If you are an aware job seeker you will first begin a research campaign designed to significantly improve your chances. Don't send out a cover letter or resume before you know anything about who's going to be reading them and what their needs are. Tailor that letter and that resume to the specific interests of the company, and you have a huge advantage before you even set foot in the door.
What kinds of things are important to learn about the company? First, you will want to find out their "corporate personality", their style. Each firm is different, and these sometimes-subtle differences can have a strong influence on their hiring practices. You might also want to get a handle on their benefit package, salary options, and promotion policies.
It's helpful to get information on your prospective position, too. How long has it been open, why did the last person leave, how much turnover has there been? If it's a new position, you might want to know why it was created, what specific need is being met or problem being solved. Was it a controversial decision to create the opening? This can really influence hiring decisions.
Discover the hiring process
Another area of interest for your research project: what is their hiring process like? You might want to know who will interview you first, how many interviews you are likely to have, and who makes the final decision. Any information you can get about these key players will be incredibly helpful.
Now, having mapped out your agenda, how do you go about getting all this helpful information? A good early step to take is to go to the corporate headquarters. Start by walking around the lobby; buy a magazine or a cup of coffee, read the directories and get a feeling for the atmosphere.See how people are dressed. Do they look stressed out and rushed? Are people relaxed; are they kidding around and greeting each other? Can you see differences in dress and behavior that might correlate to different levels of management?
Be sure to take advantage of any public opportunities such as tours, open houses, workshops, etc. With this legitimate reason to be there, be sure and watch what goes on as carefully as you can. In addition to people watching, observe the office layout; how they divide up their space tells you a lot about a company.
Casually look at bulletin boards or notices. Visit Human Resources and pick up an application, or a brochure on their benefits package. If it's a really big company, you might need to make a few trips before you've soaked up as much as you can from this kind of expedition.
Use the Internet
Next comes information gathering through the Internet and library. Check out their website, follow the links and get a feel for how they use this resource; are they comfortable with the web, do they keep their site up, how sophisticated are they in their approach?
What about the company's history? How long have they been around? Have they been through a growth spurt of rapid expansion that may have had a big impact on their functioning? Who is their primary market? What are their goals and objectives for the future? Do they have a Board of Directors? If so, who's on it? How big are they now, and how big do they want to be?
Many companies have a public information department that can give you material dealing with these issues. If not, it may be on their web site, or in the library. Look through old newspapers or magazines; you can find announcements and articles that flesh out a sketchy summary of who they are and where they came from.
What Employers Want
"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?'"
What are employers looking for in employees? What traits are considered valuable? And will help the job seeker appear favorably during an interview?Many surveys have been done in the past to determine what employers are looking for in employees. Certain attributes show up consistently in these surveys. The number one trait that employers stated that they wanted in employees was:
A good attitude
In this day of rush and hurry, and impoliteness, good people skills and the ability to communicate well with others is extremely valued in the workplace.
Team players are needed, and employers are looking for those with the ability to work well with others. This means being able to work well with others and being supportive of co-workers, instead of sabotaging them or trying to make others "look bad" (often at the expense of the project or task). It also means respecting the thoughts and opinions of coworkers.
Griping at others, criticizing, blaming, or being known as "difficult" is not okay in today's workplace. Smiling, communicating well, and knowing how to be gracious and flexible is.
Employers consider a positive outlook and enthusiasm for the job important, as well as taking responsibility for one's actions and personal integrity. Employers are looking for employees that they can trust, and whom they believe will do a good job.
Self-esteem and confidence are considered part of a positive outlook. Employees with a good attitude will contribute towards reaching the company's goals, and adapt well to the culture of the workplace. To discover what other traits are also valued by employers in the workplace, read on...
The ability to work hard
This probably comes as no surprise, but the hard working and productive employee is highly valued by employers (and has the best chance of being hired during interviews). This means being willing to do occasional overtime when required, or doing your best work (and not taking frequent breaks or "goofing off") when on the job.
This trait is also related to self-motivation and the desire to succeed. Employers stated in surveys that the self-driven employee who wants to achieve success at work (and takes the necessary steps to ensure it) usually does.
Product knowledge
Employers value the employee who takes an interest in their company, and understands thoroughly the product or expertise that is the basis of company profits. They also consider enthusiasm and a high opinion of the company and the position positive qualities. Learning above and beyond the "minimum", being able to help customers, and actively seeking to increase the company client base are other valued traits according to employers.
The job seeker can demonstrate this enthusiasm and interest in the company by doing "homework" before a job interview, researching the company, its products, its client base, and possibly having ideas on marketing or increasing production.
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