SOUTHERN MINDANAO COLLEGE

Subject: ED 238 ( Personal Management in Education)

Reporter: OMICALSUM S. CABSARAN
Professor: ROSALINDA M. CABIGAS., Ed.D.

Top 10 reason employers want to hire you

When you apply for a job, you know exactly what you're looking for. You want a
company you love, great co-workers, a decent salary, a culture where you fit in and, most
importantly, you want to love what you'll be doing. But do you ever consider what the
employer is looking for in its employees? These days, competition is steep among job
seekers; it's important to know what employers want in an employee before going into an
interview so candidates can sell how they would be an asset to the company. "If the candidate
doesn't know what the employer is looking for, [he or she] can't properly communicate why
they are the most qualified candidate for the position," said Steven Rothberg, "Understanding
what the employer is looking for ahead of the interview is so that the candidate can be sure to
communicate all of the information that is likely to be most relevant to the employer." In a
2009 survey from CareerBuilder and Robert Half International, employers said that aside from
having the basic job qualifications, multitasking (36 percent), initiative (31 percent) and
creative thinking (21 percent) are the most important characteristics in a job applicant. We
asked six workplace experts to address 10 of the most common reasons employers hire
employees, in no particular order. Hopefully, they can help you prepare to land your next job.

1. Long-term potential
Why it's important: Employees want to see their future within a company so they are
motivated and excited about their career path, the company's future and their role in it, says
Celia Santana, president of Personal Risk Management Solutions.
From the employer perspective, you want people in your organization to work their way
up. It is best to have someone who is multidimensional and can grow with the company.

2. Ability to work well with others

Why it's important: "We spend a lot of time at work; there is nothing worse than someone
who cannot get along with others," Santana says. "[It's] so important and involves being
helpful, understanding the unwritten rules, being respectful, reliable and competent."

3. Ability to make money

Why it's important: Hiring managers want people who can prove that they will increase the
organization's revenues or decrease its costs, Rothberg says. "During a recession, revenues
are difficult for organizations to generate and employers have typically already cut their costs
about as much as they can. Their emphasis is on increasing their revenues."

4. Impressive résumé
Why it's important:"A résumé is a person's billboard; a reflection of the applicant in the eyes
of the reader," said Jay Meschke, president of EFL Associates. "First impressions are lasting
ones and a résumé is often the vehicle to either make a good impression or a poor one."

5. Relevant work experience

Why it's important: "Experience levels generally allow a person to hit the ground running
without a lot of hand-holding," Meschke said. "Managers do not have time to mentor and train
people as in the past."

6. Creative problem-solving skills

Why it's important: "Employers know that in business, the chessboard changes daily. As
soon as we think all is fine, the economy changes or the competition makes a surprise move
and the company's own strategy must change," said Mark Stevens, author of "Your Marketing
Sucks" and CEO of MSCO, a global marketing firm. "A person who gets locked into a set way
of doing things finds it difficult or impossible to adjust. They are a drag on the business as
opposed to an asset for it."

7. Strong online presence

Why it's important: "Social networking has become the primary way that people
communicate. But it is a double-edged sword. Employers have access to your personal life,
likes and dislikes, political views, good and bad behavior. Because of that exposure and the
speed at which information is distributed, it is important that you be digitally dirt-free,
especially when job hunting," said Chris Laggini, vice president of human resources for DLT
Solutions.

8. Multitaskers who thrive on variety of projects

Why it's important: "Business today moves at supersonic speed, and effectively managing a
variety of different projects simultaneously is essential," said Susan Stern, founder and
president of Stern + Associates, a public relations and marketing communications agency. "If
an individual demonstrates a passion for learning new things and enjoys a variety of work,
chances are she is also ambitious and inquisitive -- two qualities that are critical to success
and advancement."

9. Enthusiasm and initiative

Why it's important: "If you show consistent enthusiasm and take initiative on the job, you
can count on being noticed and rewarded. Every business looks to put their most enthusiastic
people forward with important clients and customers," Stern said. "By taking initiative, you
convey a true team spirit and illustrate that you are not someone who simply meets the
criteria of a job description, but who goes above and beyond what is required to help the
business succeed."

10. Good cultural fit

Why it's important: Recruiters are pressured to find the right match for a company;
applicants are under pressure to creatively differentiate themselves and demonstrate a desire
to succeed, said Jenny Floren, founder and CEO of Experience Inc., an online recruiting
community. "Hiring managers are particularly interested in how a candidate is going to adapt
to their unique organizational culture."