Let’s face it: the job hunt can be a grueling, seemingly endless, process. Many job seekers would agree - the whole process would be much easier if only they could peer into the minds of potential employers and see what they are looking for. In order to learn exactly what specifications are required of job seekers to get the job, two very important questions often come to mind for job hunters.
1. What qualities are most sought after most for the right candidate?
2. Do I have the qualities they’re looking for?
A glimpse into the mind of an employer can help a candidate quickly make the transition from job searching ECP to qualified employee, but how does one accomplish this task? Well, luckily for you, we’ve decided to let you in on the top three candidate qualities employers search for most in prospective hires.
1. Problem Solving skills
For any company, whether it’s a large organization or a small local practice, uncertainty is a constant. And from uncertainty, problems are sure to arise. When searching for a potential employee, employers will interview numerous candidates looking for a crucial characteristic: the candidate’s willingness to problem solve. Oftentimes, a qualifying test can present itself in a job interview through the question “Tell us about a time you faced an uncertain situation and how did you approach it?” Hiring managers typically ask questions like these to convey the message that employees will need to not only work alongside the changing work environment, but also manage the uncertainties that come with it.
Any candidate can do as they are taught, but it is the one who accepts challenges and formulates solutions to oncoming problems that are the ones worth hiring. Employers want employees to ‘think outside the box’. Employers crave a fresh, new perspective to a once mundane problem, and employers need candidates who are willing to take a risk and try an unconventional approach to solve an issue at hand. Job seekers who can take the lemons they are given and not just make lemonade, but also make lemon meringue pies are on the right track!
2. Adaptability skills
Without a doubt, any type of job will require you to do more than one task. The attention of an employee is often pulled in many directions, so candidates who can successfully manage the myriad of roles they play are considered top notch talent. You can identify skilled adaptors because they will not just satisfy their given assignments, they will ask for more tasks beyond their job description - and therefore contribute more. Excellent adaptors are flexible, organized, and are achievers (they get things done!). Adaptors are gap fillers who see a need and are ready, without hesitation, to pick up the slack. They are valuable candidates because they can offer a lot to employers and even surprise employers with their hidden talents.
3. Collaboration Skills
Working in a team is inevitable in a professional setting, however, the skill of collaborating doesn’t exactly come naturally. It takes a lot of practice (i.e. working in groups over and over again). There are many different roles within a team, a good collaborator knows how to navigate the dynamics of a team and identify the role that best fits what a particular group needs. For the most part, skillful collaboration is grounded in communication. Without communication, collaboration would not exist within a group of individuals. The constant workflow demands the ability to work collaboratively and thus communicating with coworkers, managers, and supervisors is vital.
The ability to problem solve, adapt, and collaborate will differentiate an ordinary candidate from an exceptional one. These are the characteristics for which employers carefully search and find in top talent. Job seekers, these qualities can make the difference between a candidate and a hired employee. A blend of both the ideal hard and soft skills can take precedence over your GPA. So you must ask yourself, are you a problem solving, adapting collaborator?
Are you in the midst of your search for the perfect job in eye care? Check out Local Eye Site!
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2013/02/22/the-skills-job-seekers-need-and-employers-dont-know-they-want/
https://mashable.com/2012/10/07/hiring-startup-talent/
{ 0 comments… add one now }