You may have heard the expression ’putting square pegs into round holes’. An employer wants to put square pegs in square holes. In order to do this, you will need to understand an employer’s requirements for the role and show how this is you.
What do employers want?
On the surface the question seems obvious, which in essence it is, employers want reliable staff who are able to complete their tasks in an agreed time limit, but how can you prove to employers that this is you?
In understanding what an employer is seeking, and able to break this down into easily digestible chunks, makes the whole application and interview process a lot easier. A trick to adopt is to put your self in the mind of the recruiter. They may have scores of applications for one role. They need to sift through all of the applications to find the shortlist they are going to interview. How do you make sure that they choose you?
Know Yourself
Ideally employers are looking for individuals who are able to exhibit very basic qualities. This requires a basic understanding of
yourself. If you are unable to talk about yourself or to display your best qualities, how do you expect an employer to see these?
The NUMBER 1 quality employers look for is being a team player – this is a highly valued and wildly misunderstood concept
Teamwork/being a team player –is more than just saying, ‘I get on well with others’, but a team player will hold themselves accountable to certain standards – so much falls under the ‘team player’ category that many undervalue it’s importance.
- Be punctual
- Ensure your work is to the best standard possible
- Find ways to improve
- Be open to training
- Be supportive to other staff members
- Share best practice and methods
- Ask questions if you are unsure
- Be adoptive of change – plans may change at the last moment
- Listen to others
- Stay abreast of company news and internal communications
Your personal standards are what an employer will be looking at first. If a role requires a certain level of experience/knowledge it is assumed you should have this before you apply, but many entry level roles require neither. What an employer is seeking is a quality work ethic, so the deciding factors will usually fall into the ‘teamwork’ category.
Need more help?
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