What professional qualities should you have?
All of us go through the selection reel, before we could get hired, and searching for the job, eventually turns into another job, you're pulling through. It's a vicious cycle. As an applicant, you have to possess something, that would satisfy the needs of the company. You should be up to beat - having all the skills of the ongoing market. Or should you?
What an employer expects from you?
- being qualified enough
- addressing the issue
- being invested into the workflow
- being responsible for the outcome
- capable to source out some tasks
- to relegate/delegate tasks
- admit failures as they are
- to work with the team
- to enjoy the workflow
- to propose new solutions, when needed
- to execute strictly, when asked
- correspond to the workload
- execute with lower overhead
What people think an employer expects from them?
- having better skills than your current workers - which is usually impossible, because those, who work there are already experienced
- having charisma - this one you could leave to yourself, unless you're applying to the top positions
- having exceptional tenacity - this is valued, but not the most essential, as long as you aren't applying to a Chinese factory
- being attractive - sounds incorrect these days, but it shouldn't even knock on your mind. Many young people still think it's important
- certificates, diplomas - sounds interesting, but...
- past experience - the most cherished asset you could throw at your job interview
- specific, 'genius' qualities - nobody denies that every person is unique, but we just need a guy at the Xerox machine. (Xerox - they are still used!)
Why should we hire you?
The first-time perceptions of you, during your job interview, should not be related to these:
- your ego is above your head
- you're late for everything - look, you're even late for the interview!
- you're not concentrated
- you're stereotypical
- you're too rude
- you see only profits (yes, it's good - many would say), but have you earned that much in life? Then, why are you applying?
- you're dangerous - you look at your colleagues as at meat
- you're sociopath
- you're needy, you're bleeding for help all the time
- you're lazy (all of us are) and stupid
- you're smart, but dangerous
- you're smart, but lazy
- you're lazy, but dangerous
Don get insulted by these, there are never enough reasons to botch you
What young job applicants don't get?
While getting hired (look at our very first list above), an employer expects you to:
- address the problem
- manage the workflow
- solve problems/tasks
- relegate problems/tasks
- accept the outcomes
- take responsibilities
- improve yourself
You act here personally. Like it or not, even if someone in your team fails the project, it would be you, who will suck it up.
Corporate sharks
Sharks didn't die - they just have transformed. This sounds nothing like you've learned in your college, but the list of expectations could go on. After you get hired, or while being in the process of getting hired, you could witness such things as:
- personal tampering
- demands for loyalty
- servitude
- and even harassment
Assess your psychological position in the company - do you really need those things? Could you manage to eliminate them? There are places, where employers could use your weak points and even your background (alas, but true) for manipulation. Those characters are mainly arise in bigger companies, where the staff structuring is vertical and bureaucratic. It could also be spawned by your own desperate life credo. If you act, as if there is no alternative in your life - you're screwed.
If you don't respect yourself - you know what's going to happen
Develop your personality
There are several ways to develop an immunity for the job you're applying to. Regardless of your acquired skills, you'd be tackled psychologically too. Develop a strong and sociable personality, in order to sustain your positions. Even if you're a tech guy, who works only with computers - a human will be watching you.
Use the patterns of success
Many reasons, why people fail job interviews are stated by us in here. They reveal, that having a good resume isn't enough to 'click' for the job. But there are some patterns of success you could follow:
- be responsive
- be passionate
- be interested
- use alternatives
Why should we hire you? You correspond to our needs and you would probably stay that way for 1 or 2 years. It's fine for us.
One day, you're hired - relax and get into the flow. Don't act like Rambo in your first days - many people would expect that too. Be yourself! Our personal experience shows, that it's the average guy (girl), who stays on his(her) job longer than others - just our own contemplation.