Jan Quintrall: What do employers want? It hasn’t changed

In October, I wrote about what employers could do to keep good employees, and the responses still amaze. It now makes sense to take this topic a step further to reveal what employers seek in the people they hire and promote in this ever-competitive marketplace.

First, some insights into the employer-employee relationship:

Staff should be paid for services delivered. If they deliver above expectations, they get more pay. If the product consistently falls below those expectations, they are looking for another job. Pretty simple economics.

So, what do employers look for during performance evaluations, while seeking new employees, or promoting current staff? And what can you do, as an employee, to make yourself attractive to an “in-demand” employer, or to get out from under an employer you have come to despise?

Trust

Can you be trusted to do your job and put the interests of the company first? Do I know you will come to me with a problem and give it to me straight? Will I ever be worried that you will tell me what I want to hear rather than the truth, even if it is not comfortable? Do I need to stay awake nights wondering about your values and ethics? Or in even simpler terms, can I trust you to be on time and come to work every day?

Confidence

Are you comfortable in your skin? Do you like who you are? Is there pride in the way you walk, the way you dress and the way you treat those around you? Or is your life, your credit, your health, your family and your friends in such an uproar your every day that performance is affected? We all know those who have so much drama in their lives it can’t help but spill over into everything else.

Leadership

Will you take responsibility and lead a group to get the job done or overcome a crisis? Remember, you do not need to be a manager or supervisor to be a leader. This trait is getting harder to find in employees all the time, and I’m not sure why. Leadership is action, not position. So, you have a lousy manager? Just out-leadership them; it will not go unnoticed.

Energy

Some folks walk into the room and get everyone excited; then there are those who put us all to sleep. Are you positive or negative? Remember Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh? Are you an Eeyore, or do you smile, make eye contact and respond with positive comments? Are you asleep after lunch or is your energy level high?

Don’t forget that taking care of yourself has a huge impact on your energy.

Communication

Once, verbal or written communication was enough. No more. Can you respond to e-mail, handle phone calls, and meet with various customers, vendors or partners? The most valuable staff members can handle all forms of communication, and quite well. The lack of written communication skills that I’ve seen recently from some entry-level candidates is frightening.

Emotional intelligence

So, you’re real smart but have no clue how to work with others. Too bad. Smart is fine, but someone who can build community and relationships will always win out over sheer smarts. Teachers refer to this trait as “playing well with others” and it is critical for advancing in the professional world. If all you do is spend time putting back together the fellow staff members you have torn apart, be forewarned, your value will quickly drop.

Attitude

Someone once said the difference between an ordeal and an adventure is attitude. Every day at the workplace can be an ordeal or an adventure. The situations are the same; the only difference is your outlook on what is happening. If you choose the “ordeal” route, you bring everyone around you into your ordeal. Would it not be more fun to have your co-workers join you in your “adventure”?

So, employees and potential employees, take a look at this list (and since it’s officially the holidays, even check it twice!), and make sure you are setting yourself up to be the one who gets upgraded, invested in, promoted or that raise you have proven you deserve.