With more candidates entering the work force every year, job placement can sometimes be a competitive situation. It is necessary to be proficient in the field you are applying for, but what are some basic, across-the-board characteristics that will get your foot in the door at practically any type of job?
As it turns out, there’s 5 characteristics:
- Soft skills. While hard skills are specific tasks that you are capable of, soft skills are descriptions of your adaptability and personality features in the workplace.
- CV. A CV is basically a resume detailing your academic achievements as well as experiences in the field. This is an obvious necessity for any specialized career option.
- Targeted research. Never go into an interview without extensive knowledge on the position you are applying for, as well as the company you are applying with.
- Recruitment tools knowledge. There are numerous recruitment and hiring tools out there, from employee assessments to newspaper ads. If the company seems like the type that will give you an employee assessment, be aware of the types that are available, which type that organization may use, and how to effectively complete an assessment.
- General awareness. Awareness of the world around you is absolutely necessary, even if it isn’t necessarily your field. Most organizations interact with others, including ones that may be of a different line of work. Even if you’re pursuing a finance job, it is important to understand technology trends, as they will most likely come across your line of work.
These characteristics can’t 100 percent guarantee you get the job. However, they are the starting point so the interviewer knows you are worth their time. Once you get to that point, you can sell them with your hard skills, experience, and interview competence.
