What Employers Really Want
In 2000, Mel Gibson starred in a movie called, “What Women Want.” Gibson plays your prototypical male chauvinist advertiser, a modern version of Mad Men’s Don Draper. His character sets off on a journey to discover himself, become a better father, better boyfriend, and to truly, more deeply understand himself. The catalyst for this change happens after he is forced by an electrocution in an incident with none other than a blow dryer. The incident gives him powers to hear what women really think and read their mind. And, guess what? They don’t like him as much as he thought they did.
The Four Top Traits Employers Want
From (YOU) Millennial and Gen Z Employees
The importance of understanding yourself and the value you bring to others is critical to success. Our focus on growth acceleration for individuals and businesses proves that fact daily. Articulating your skills and traits in a way that aligns with the company’s desires is key to landing the job. Luckily for you, we’ve outlined just for you the four of traits that employers want and that are essential to surviving and thriving in the modern marketplace.
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Grit
Grit is defined as “courage or resolve, strength of character.” The world gets more complicated by the minute with both advances in technology and the rapidity of information and change. Employees need to be able to pivot and be adaptable. Grit or tenacity is now a serious component to get you in the door and survive and thrive in any business. Employers are beginning to test and measure how employees will thrive in tough situations and environments. According to recent research from Gallup, more than half of Americans surveyed are unhappy with their current job and are either seeking or interested in seeking a new one. While that has interesting implications for employers, it also means something for employees: there is a lot of competition as well as turnover. Grit sometimes equates to retention and engagement, people with grit tend to last longer and fight harder. They also are more confident exploring diversity and creativity. So getting and keeping a job without grit is sometimes very difficult in the current climate. This means you may get rejected by multiple employers if you cannot communicate grit and wherewithal to weave, bob and pivot in an interview. So keeping the same positive, upbeat, calm and cool demeanor as you move through the employment process combined with showing Grit – strength of character – is essential to moving through the process successfully. It also will pay huge dividends in keeping the job and getting promotions.
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Capable
You should be able to do the job you are applying for. You should be capable of completing the task you are being asked to. This seems easy enough, right?
Wrong.
At the interview stage, It is less about being capable and more about demonstrating how you are capable. Technically, and on paper, you may be more than capable but if you are not able to articulate your value and capability to your boss or the organization, it doesn’t matter. We have spent years teaching over 12,000 millennials how to demonstrate and describe their value through their story, while tough it is a must have for all of life. First, you have to frame your experience in a way that properly articulates the ways in which you meet the companies requirements. WIFThem, or what’s in it for them, your employer. Tell them with gratitude and brevity exactly how your passions and skills meet and exceed the requirements of the position you’re applying for. Then, from there, you can demonstrate how skills outside of what they are asking for demonstrate your capability. What else can you bring to the table? What other value can you provide? Why should you be hired over anyone else? That simple act of communication is the secret to letting them know with great confidence that you’re capable.
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Connect
Relationships are one of the most important elements of our well-being. According to longest study ever conducted by Harvard, the quality of our relationships is the greatest predictor of the quality of our lives. Approximately 35 % of your waking hours throughout the course of your life will be spent at work. It would stand to reason, then, that the quality of your relationships at work are also the most important part of your overall satisfaction. SO THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP WE CAN GIVE YOU IS BECOME A MASTER AT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. It is the single most important life/work skill. Furthermore, company’s are searching for employees that fit their workplace culture. It is not enough to be able to do the job. You must also contribute to the culture. You must be able to connect with your coworkers and managers. Do not leave an interview without proving that you excel at relationship building, and be prepared to articulate how. If you want to “crush the interview” and communicate you are a relationship developer, then start at your interview with making sure you are focused on the company and not yourself. You can do that with research and information, which is the key to asking great questions and developing trust and relationships. So to understand what companies might be looking for in their employees, search their website. Read about their values. Search on LinkedIn. Look up the CEO and see if she or he has written any blogs. Search the web for information about the company. We live in The Information Age; ignorance is not an excuse. Learn as much as you can about the company and its values and tell a story about how you will serve them. Let them know how this service aligns your aspirations and skills with theirs. Don’t leave them guessing; make the connections for them.
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Contribute
You’ve done the labor of getting yourself an interview, preparing, and dressing You’ve kept a positive attitude through it all – you were #crushingit on your applications and kept the right mindset through it all. You were able to articulate your value to the company, showing how your skills and areas of expertise filled their needs. You were able to connect with their culture and build relationships, showing how your values and passions align with theirs and your potential co-workers. What is the last thing that will seal the deal? Alright. Millennials and Gen Z has this in spades. That is their need to make a difference and contribute or give back to the world. Some call it purpose. Employers are starting to understand your generation is other focused and wants to make a difference. If you can articulate your desire to contribute to others employers will seal the deal. Every employer wants to hire employees that want to make a difference by helping others. If you’ve done the hard work of getting the job – identifying the company you want to work for and making it to the “promised land” – put in the work to demonstrate your other focused desire to contribute to the companies growth and success.
Conclusion: In today’s competitive marketplace, it is not enough to be a talented employee. To be a successful Millennial, you have to understand how who you are aligns with what the company is looking for, work hard to get the job, continue doing the work, demonstrate your value, skills, passion, and contribution to make a difference. We outlined four qualities that will empower you to get and keep, your job. It’s not enough to know who you are or the value you bring – you’ll have to know yourself, WIFThem, articulate your value, and continue to grow and contribute in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Without them, you will not survive or thrive in the modern workplace.
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