5 Key Qualities of a Good Employee

By Gail Kenny

What do employers want? This is the maddening question that every job seeker is trying to answer. I see plenty of people scratching their heads when they are applying for jobs, trying to figure out what the potential employer really wants from them. Of course, most job adverts will have a long list of requirements, but these don’t tell the whole story. While the skills and experience listed in the advert are likely to be important to an employer (and sometimes essential for the position), every employer will be faced with a large pile of CVs that match the job requirements.

It is at the interview stage when your employer will try and gain a better idea of who you are, and if they really want to employ you. Of course, your potential employer is looking to see proof of the skills you mention in your CV, but they are also looking for some crucial personal characteristics as well. Whether you are applying for a travel job or in any other industry, here are 5 of the qualities that most employees want to see.

Enthusiasm

An employee who is enthusiastic and has a positive attitude in the workplace is worth their weight in gold. Enthusiastic people work hard, learn quickly and aren’t discouraged by setbacks, but more importantly, they create a positive atmosphere in the workplace, improving morale and encouraging others around them to work hard as well.

Strong Work Ethic

Enthusiasm is a great quality to have, but if a person is always flitting from one project to another without finishing anything, that’s not as useful. Employers are looking for workers who are hard working and can follow through and complete tasks that they are assigned to do.

Initiative

The majority of employees are reluctant to display initiative outside of their area of expertise – they simply want to clock in, do their work, and clock out again. The truly valuable employees can display a willingness to get involved with numerous projects, to help and encourage others, and to find creative solutions to difficult problems.

Reliability

When you travel to your job, are you often late for work? Do you take numerous sick days? If so, that’s a bad sign for an employer. Businesses in the UK lose over £13 billion every year from absent and late employees – even if you are hugely talented and highly experienced, if your employer is always having to find people to cover for you and work around your late arrival, you aren’t likely to be a good investment for them.

Great Communication Skills

Almost every job will depend on a good level of interaction with co-workers. Employees are looking for people who can express themselves clearly and accurately, both in writing and in speaking, and just as importantly who can listen, learn, and follow instructions.

These are all qualities to reference in your CV and to try and demonstrate in an interview, but they are also important to work on in your existing employment – they’ll make you a better (and in all likelihood, a happier) employee.

17 Important Things To Remember As You Prepare For An Interview

Author: NS Kennedy

Several Days – One Week Before the Interview

1. Spend some time to research the organization and the position at hand. To find company-specific information, visit your local library, run a search on the internet, or talk to current or former employees about their experiences and impressions of the company. Study up on the company’s products and services, industry, target market, annual sales, geographic location(s), structure, history, officers, and any other key information. Are there any new trends in the industry?

2. Identify the organization’s major competitors and do some basic research on how they differ (either positively or negatively) from the company at which you are interviewing.

3. Prepare specific examples of how your skills and experience make you a strong fit for the organization’s needs. Practice answering directed questions about your experience, education, and skills and how they relate to the position at hand. Being prepared to draw colorations between your experience and the needs of the organization is one of the most important interviewing skills you will need.

4. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Be prepared to talk about your weaknesses, but find a way to frame them positively. For example, “My biggest weakness is that I am a perfectionist. It may take me a little extra time to get a project done to my satisfaction, but you can be guaranteed that the work will pass even the most stringent review, be 100% accurate, and that no detail will be overlooked.”

5. Prepare several intelligent questions about the company and position that will demonstrate your knowledge of the company and your sincere interest in the position.

6. Try on your suit and make sure that it is still well-fitting and in good repair. If necessary, make arrangements to have it altered or find alternate dress.

The Day before the Interview

1. Contact the company to confirm the date and time of your interview. Also confirm the name and title of the individual(s) you will be meeting.

2. Get directions to the interview site. Be sure to double check the directions using a map. This will ensure that you know the way and also give you an approximate travel time � don’t forget to allow for extra time for rush hour!

3. Lay out your entire interview outfit. Check it for any spot, wrinkles, or snags.

4. Print off a few extra copies of your resume and cover letter on nice paper. Even if the interviewer has a copy of their own, it’s always a good idea to have a backup copy. This is also helpful if you end up interviewing with multiple individuals, since the head interviewer may be the only person with a copy of your resume.

Get a good night’s sleep!

1. Your brain needs fuel to run at peak performance and if there is ever a day you needed 110% from your brain, it’s today. So don’t skimp on meals. Be cautious about eating large amounts of carbohydrates right before your interview though, since carbs are know to cause sluggishness and may lead to a “post-lunch” naptime.

2. Get dressed early so you do not feel pressured to dash out the door. Pay attention to the details (brush off any lint, comb your hair, brush your teeth, use deodorant, etc.) and remember that a first impression can reveal a lot about you and your character.

3. Don’t forget to take copies of your resume, your cover letter, and your portfolio if you have one.

4. Leave yourself plenty of time to get to your interview. If you arrive more than 15 minutes early, it’s best to wait in the car or outside the building. Arriving too early gives off the impression that you have a lot riding on the interview (and have nothing better to do with your time), and also pressures the interviewer(s) into feeling that they have to adjust their schedule to accommodate you.

5.Smile and shake everyone’s hand when you are meeting for the first time – you should also smile and shake hands when the interview concludes.

6. Relax! If you have done your homework you are well-prepared for the interview. Take a deep breath and spend a moment collecting your thoughts if you need to when being asked a question. Ask confused about a particular question you are asked, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.

After the Interview

Write a quick “Thank You” message to the individual(s) who interviewed you.

What a Resume Should Look Like

Author: Mario Churchill

 One way to write quality resumes is to have an example of what you need.  A resume example can help you as a guideline to the kind that you want employers to look at.  Of course, it will need the normal elements, including your name, address, city, state and zip code, phone number and e-mail address.  Those are a given.  However, what about the rest of the resume? 

 There are things that should be there that are considered crucial as to whether or not you will get phone calls from prospective opponents.  If your resume is traditional or typical, you can forget about getting any phone calls.  You will not have many results to show for it. 

 Don’t even talk about a resume service. Not only will you waste money, but you will also waste precious time trying to get the job that you want.  All you will be left with is stress and unhappiness. 

 Your resume should be worded differently than what you would see otherwise.  If you pay someone to do your resume, there is no guarantee that you will get the results you’re looking for with their services.  You will still be sitting by the phone, waiting for it to ring. The longer you sit and wait without changing your resume, the more disappointed you will be.   

 A resume example does not require eloquent wording, under or over professional formatting or just a resume that fails to deliver.  A resume that is carefully created can get results.  It needs to serves as a salesperson for prospective employers.  A customized resume is your calling card to future employment.

 All you should be concerned about is getting phone calls from prospective employers.  Your resume should compel them to contact you within a matter of hours after receiving it.  You are selling yourself and your services.  In order to do that effectively, the resume needs to have sticking quality points. 

 It must convey things across that others do not.  If it doesn’t, then yours will be a stack of piles waiting to be recycled.  A resume example is one that stands out to be noticed.  It provides the  information needed to cause your phone to ring off the hook nonstop.  You’d be getting so many calls that it would make your head spin.

 Your resume should not be “canned”.  You don’t have to purchase any books, only to get frustrated later on.  In addition to having it free of spelling and grammatical errors, emphasis is needed to get our phone to start ringing.  If you are going to get an interview, you need to stand out in every way possible. 

 A resume example is a good idea for those who are in need of how to write a resume.  As long as it’s not some cheesy stuff that no one wants to read, then you have a chance of your phone ringing off of the hook.  Make the changes as soon as possible so you can make it worthwhile.  Then listen to your phone ring non-stop.

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