It is no secret that writing resume is pretty much about guessing what employers expect from the candidates. Sometimes, their expectations are clearly laid out in the job openings and attentive job seekers can spot key areas to highlight on their resumes. But sometimes job hunters do not have enough information to understand what exactly they should focus on a resume. Fortunately, there are some things that employers always look for in candidates. In this article we are going to share some of them; knowing what kind of employees companies are loooking for today should definitely help job seekers in their attempts to find a decent job. These things are pretty generic, however, if you make them look practical (through your past work experience) on your resume, you will surely have a serious advantage over your competitors.
Attributes That Matter
It is important to note, that the attributes we will list below should be highlighted now only in a resume. If you get a chance to have an interview, make sure you emphasize these attributes. Some of them will not be easily to flesh out so you have to think everything through before you attempt to prove you will be a good match for the opening.
Integrity. Obviously, if you've been trusted with important transactions, big clients, or some things that are very important for the company, it probably means you have that attribute. It often goes together with responsibility. Nevertheless, integrity is different from responsibility as it touches more the ethical part of our being. Some believe that it is not important but as a matter of fact, posing ethical dilemmas on an interview often helps hiring managers identify honest candidates and understand their decision making process.
Teamwork. There is almost no room for solo players in the contemporary business today. Everything we do involves some form of a teamwork. Therefore, all companies are interested in hiring people who can collaborate well with others. Most likely, if you had some previous work experience you had to work in a team and now it is up to you how you highlight this fact on your resume as well as during your interview. In other words, it is all about capability of putting the interests of company and others above your personal ambitions. Such employees will usually share information to help their co-workers which improves the atmosphere in the office and as a result increases productivity.
Horsepower. By horsepower we simply mean willingness to work extra hours to accomplish the task. This is the fuel of every successful employee, it is what keeps one going. Sometimes, candidates who lack experience perform better than those who have many years of experience behind their backs. It happens because enthusiasm and horsepower trumps experience. Young people can quickly learn and they frequently end up doing the job better than someone who used to do something similar in the past. If you are able to show your enthusiasm and willingness to work hard in your resume and during an interview, you can consider you almost got the job. Keep in mind that it is not about making things up. Most hiring managers can't tell whether a candidate is lying. It is better to be honest about who you are and what kind of skills you can offer. Don't try to be better than you are. Focus on the value you can bring to the company. We are confident everybody has got something to offer. It is just a question whether you can identify your skills and relate them to what the employer needs.