What Employers Want Kristian Rumble – Graduate Employment Manager

University Flexible schedule Few significant changes You decide your time, hobbies, etc You choose your performance levels Continuous feedback Flexible dress code Informal environment Work Structured schedule Frequent & unexpected changes Employer chooses your time & direction Employer expects 100% all day every day Infrequent feedback Professional dress code Professional environment

Why do companies employ graduates?  Managers of the future who run their own operations & make crucial business decisions unsupervised  People looking for a career not just a job; people with a long term view  Professional image to maintain

The core competencies that are most popular with graduate recruiters include :  Communication  Teamwork  Leadership  Initiative  Problem Solving  Flexibility/adaptability  Self Awareness  Commitment  Interpersonal skills  Numeracy  IT Knowledge  Commercial Awareness

What does a competency look like?  Sales/Persuasion – ability to promote a product or idea effectively and be able to influence peoples opinions, by utilising good listening skills and excellent communication.  Communication – ability to speak in a concise, articulate manner with a positive and enthusiastic attitude.  Leadership – to be able to command respect, lead by example and motivate, support and manage employees

What does a competency look like?  Work Ethic/Results Driven – to be committed and dedicated to obtaining the best results, remaining target driven and devoted to fulfilling the companies values.  Customer Service – the ability to communicate professionally with all customers, build rapport and guarantee all customers are entirely satisfied.  Flexibility – to be able to adapt to changing circumstances and environments with ease and take on board new ideas and concepts

Commercial Awareness The economy Markets – local and global Financial systems Government policies Industry insights and market intelligence Vocabulary of a specific industry

Relating your skills Focus on presenting evidence from your: – Academic achievements – Work Experience – Voluntary work – Involvement in clubs or societies – Part time work

Online Applications – what employer want...  Correct spelling and grammar  Answers that portray a positive attitude  Detailed answers  Relevant work experience  Evidence of core competencies  That you have sold yourself at every opportunity

Avoid the following...  Taking an excessive amount of time to complete  Unrealistic salary and expected working hours  Not reading over your application before submitting  Negative comments about previous employers  Unnecessary information  Poor spelling/grammar/vocabulary

Generic Statements “I’m an excellent team player” “A dynamic worker” “Great communicator” “Sound technical ability”

The Recruitment Process - Statistics

Telephone Interviews – what employers look for  Clear communication  Enthusiastic tone  Evidence that you have done your research  Detailed answers  Relevant examples - portray your “core competencies” throughout the screen  Questions at the end

Avoid...  Avoid letting the phone ring too long  Answer in a professional manner  Avoid someone else answering the phone  Avoid inappropriate background noise  Keep a clear track of applications & their source  Don’t ask “How did I do” at the end

Employers want to know about your behaviour  The interviewing method in which candidates are asked to give specific examples of their past performance or behaviour in job related areas.  Past performance predicts future behaviour  Interviewers seek specific examples of actual tasks or situations.

Measuring your behaviour  “Give me a specific example of a time when you…”  "Tell me about a time when you …”  "Describe a time when you … “

Face to face interviews Employers want to see the following:  Arrive early  Confidence  Correct dress  Know who you are meeting with  Have lots relevant of examples  Someone that can SELL themselves

Avoid...  Calling for directions 5 minutes before your interview  Being Scruffy  Bringing your parents  Slouching in your chair  Using slang/swearing  Having no questions to ask

Assessment Days – employers look for:  Volunteer at every opportunity  Listening skills  Team players  Candidates who are positive and supportive  Confidence  Positive attitude  Creative thinking

Situation. How, when, where, with whom? "Whilst employed at Weaver Bros. last summer Task. Describe the situation or the task you were faced with. I was given the task of rationalising the stock control system Action. What action did YOU take? I would look at factors such as when the stock was last ordered, what it was used for and how often it was used. I worked out a method of streamlining the paperwork involved in this process and redesigned the relevant forms, which I then submitted to my manager. Result. What results did you achieve/conclusions did you reach/what did you learn from the experience? My ideas were accepted and implemented and a 15% reduction in stock levels was achieved"