Are You Demonstrating Your Top Qualities In Your Job Search

Are You Demonstrating Your Top Qualities in Your Job Search? “Jack Canfield Nothing happens until you take action” by BK of Flickr Ethan is a Social Media Analyst who’s often described by his friends as a “go-getter.” When he sets out to complete a project at work, or help a friend, he gives the task his best effort. Ethan’s work is always completed on time and goes beyond what is asked of him. While he tries to state this quality on his résumé, he does not demonstrate it  through his actions during his job search. Ethan  looked for work on job boards, didn’t ask his network for help, and didn’t  do much research before his interviews. Although Ethan’s friends can vouch for the fact that he is a go-getter, potential employers failed to see this quality. He realized he had to apply those  qualities to his job search if he was going to impress employers. This meant connecting with employers, networking, and taking the initiative instead of relying on job portals. Within two months of Ethan applying  his go-getter attitude to his search, he  landed at a new firm. What are your  uniquely valuable qualities as an employee?  Are you detail-oriented? Are you a go-getter? Or are you creative?  More importantly, how are you using those qualities in your job search campaign and how are you demonstrating those qualities to potential employers? Eight qualities employers commonly consider are:   1. Problem solving â€" Problem solving involves thinking critically, creatively, and being willing to compromise when needed. It could be helping to reduce the workload of a busy boss, eliminating inefficiencies, or finding a simpler way to resolve an issue. In your job search, this could look like finding a hiring manager’s contact information and engaging with them before your interview. 2. Team Player â€" Team players are  people who work well in a team environment. You can demonstrate your ability to work with others by taking a team approach in your job transition. This can consist of getting together in a group, having people attend events on your behalf, and  leveraging your network. You can also consider being part of a mentoring group while in transition. 3. Flexibility â€" Being flexible means you’re willing to make things work. When you’re trying to meet people for job interviews, for information, to network, or even being willing to have flexible work hours, you want to be as convenient as possible. For example, asking “How can I accommodate you?” comes across as flexible and ties into being a problem-solver. This shows  you’re willing figure out how best to help a potential employer. Be aware of a  few caveats: it is possible to come across as too flexible and seem desperate. You can take your flexibility too far, compromise your values, or  seem contradictory. Max Crowley’s determination to work for Uber is a great example of flexibility. His current role as a System Integration Consultant wasn’t  an obvious match for Uber, but he was willing to change  careers to follow his passion. Crowley devised a plan where he would position himself to be hired. He followed Uber’s Head of Operations on social media and made it a point to show up at recruiting events. His determination paid off with a Senior Community Manager position. 4. Leadership â€" Leadership is leading  by example and being self-motivated. These are people who naturally take the initiative while following instructions. You can demonstrate this to employers by volunteering in a leadership role and joining a professional organization where potential supervisors could be members. 5. Communication â€" Communication is  more about listening than being heard.  We all want to be heard, but being able to listen  is a really special quality.  Not listening to, or accommodating an employer’s  preferred communication method  can be a major source of frustration. Some people prefer to communicate by e-mail, others may want you to call, while some  prefer a text message. In the case of Alec Brownstein, he knew exactly how to  communicate with his desired employer. He used Google Adwords to purchase advertising spots of the  names of his favorite Creative Directors knowing they would Google themselves at some point. Using that space he advertised himself and stated why he would be perfect for the job. Alec was hired by his dream employer. 6. Responsibility and Reliability â€" Anyone can say they are responsible and reliable, but it is a quality that is best demonstrated. In other words, you prove your responsibility just by doing what you’re supposed to be doing. That means showing up when you said you would, responding  when you said you would, and delivering results in a timely fashion. In my years as a career coach, I have found people can easily disprove these qualities just by failing to return a call, or being late for a meeting. 7. Detail-Oriented â€" Being detailed-oriented  ties into being responsible and is another quality that can also be disproven. Do you hear and understand what’s being asked of you? Do you actually take the time to consider the finer points? For example, I’ve read many résumés where people have claimed they were detail-oriented. However, they failed to pay attention to the smaller things such as format, spelling and grammar. 8. Creativity â€" Being creative means doing things in your job search that others wouldn’t, such as being bold. This could take the form of a billboard ad targeted at a potential employer, or creating an  infographic résumé. Creativity  also  means thinking outside-of-the-box and naturally demonstrating your problem-solving abilities. Nina Mufleh is a great creative example. She moved from the Middle East to San Francisco and wanted to land a job at Airbnb. Her efforts were ignored by the company. That is until  she created a website for an interactive résumé that looked like an Airbnb host profile. It wasn’t long before she was contacted by Airbnb, LinkedIn, and Uber. Nina was able to uniquely showcase her knowledge of the industry and what she could contribute to Airbnb.     Naming these highly desired qualities on your résumé means very little to employers unless you set yourself apart with your actions. The connection between the three  extraordinary job seekers is their  ability to demonstrate their best qualities while executing their job search. While you may not need to stalk hiring managers at your desired employer, or target them with  Google Adwords, you can consider  your best qualities and how you can demonstrate them to a potential employer. If you’re a creative type, be bold and creative. If you’re a details-oriented person, pay close attention to the details. How you execute your job search says more than your résumé ever will. 0 comments on “Are You Demonstrating Your Top Qualities in Your Job Search?” Pingback: Career Coaching, Personal Branding, Résumés, Social Media Strategy for Career & Income Optimization » Career Change Tips for Midlife Workers Pingback: Career Coaching, Personal Branding, Résumés, Social Media Strategy for Career & Income Optimization » How to Effectively Work with Recruiters