Being the Dream Employee

Good morning and Happy Thursday blog-land. I hope that this day, July 5th, finds you well, and I hope that you all had a safe and exciting Independence Day yesterday.

Today I wanted to blog about being the dream employee for your next (or current) manager. We all know that hard work and dedication goes a long way in the workplace. But what skills can you really develop and master in order to become that employee that stands out? I read a very good article the other day that highlighted several things that hiring managers are looking for. I want to just touch on a few here, but you can find the whole article at http://blog.emurse.com/2010/03/04/hiring-manager-dream-employee-part-1/

One of the most important things for me is Attitude. A lot of managers and supervisors pay close attention to an employees attitude. Zig Ziglar's famous quote, "Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude." is something that still rings true. You may not be the best at your job, but if you have a good attitude and strong work ethic, your superiors will take notice and want to help you along, rather than replace you for someone with possibly more experience in that position. Most  bosses prefer to hire someone who loves what they do, rather than someone who just tolerates the job. And trust me, most bosses can tell if you love what you do, or if you are just in it for the paycheck and are "checked out" most of the time.
Another thing bosses take notice of is your ability to Communicate. Communication is more than just being able to speak well. Of course, it is important to articulate and be clear in your communication. But more than that, it is important to show that you are a good listener and communicate back to people what they are telling you. Pay attention when someone asks you a question. If you do not answer the question that is being asked to you, your interviewer might think that you will not be able to take direction. Stop thinking about what you will say next and start paying attention to what is being said to you. Make eye contact, have good posture, focus on what someone is telling you and pay attention. When you are interviewing for a job, be sure not to spend the whole interview looking down at your notepad. And avoid yes/no answers, if you hold back too much it makes you seem like you are hiding something. Be honest and open. A strong business vocabulary is also important but avoid using too many buzzwords.
Intelligence is also an important factor in being hired or promoted. Are you a creative thinker, active problem solver, and do you have unique perspectives in challenging situations? It is not how "smart" you are but how well you use your mind that will set you apart from the rest. What kind of questions are you asking during an interview? You ARE asking questions right? Interviewers will not only look at how you answer the questions that they ask, but what kinds of questions you are asking yourself. Ask about the kind of technology the company uses and highlight your knowledge of technology that might be helpful to the company. Speak with examples. Just saying you have qualifications is not enough, you must provide concrete examples and how you were able to positively impact the company in that situation.
And lastly, are you the real deal? Managers are looking for honesty. Someone that is genuine and trustworthy. What they are not looking for is someone that is rehearsed. What they do not want is someone who will come in and tell them exactly what they want to hear, most of the time. Research the company that you are applying for, and do NOT ask what they "do" when interviewing. You should be prepared to ask and answer questions when you go in for your interview but you should have already done your homework and have questions ready.

The article that I pulled a lot of this from is 4 parts. It is very informative and Jeff Lipschultz makes a lot of good points. Be sure to stop over and check it out.

Once again if you have any comments or questions, add ons or concerns, please leave those in the comment section of the blog. Or you can email me at casey@totalresourcestaffing.com

I hope you all have a great and productive day. It's almost the week, make the rest of the week count!!

Casey