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What do employers want?

We have worked with clients ranging from SME’s to Partnerships, Global Corporations, Charities and the Public Sector.

We’ve spent time with recruiting managers, HR directors, CEO’s and business owners. We’ve recruited for short term temporary contracts, part time admin roles to senior management position. When it comes to the people organisations want to hire, the story tends to be the same. All employers want the same things. They all want the ‘best’ candidates to apply, they all want to attract ‘great’ people. Good people shouldn’t be hard to find but you might be surprised how rare it is for candidates to see things from the employers point of view.

Initiative

You see this in job specifications all the time – we want people who can use their initiative.

It’s reasonable to expect some good induction and training when you’re new.  That doesn’t mean you can’t be considering early on how you can do things a bit better, do a bit of creative problem solving or deal with unusual situations on your own initiative. Don’t overdo it and take care about going beyond your authority, however, most employers would love to have people turn up the initiative dial a bit.

Ownership

Employers and managers are looking for people with a can-do attitude, who can be relied on to get the job done. They want people who will take ownership of their work. In all sectors, managers are busy and have conflicting multiple priorities to deal with. Having employees they can trust is really important.

If you want to stand out, make sure you can demonstrate that you take ownership of a job and that you are the one who gets things done.

Communication  

Another thing you’ll see on most job specs is the requirement for good communications skills.  It’s not just about speaking clearly or good grammar – it’s about communicating appropriately for the situation. Understanding which communication channel is the right one for the situation is increasingly important in a technological, social media-driven world.

Energy

Most people want to come to work to be energised by the people around them. Managers avoid negative people because they know that over time it drains everyone around them and it reflects poorly on their company brand.  Don’t be the person who people avoid!

The fundamentals

Turn up on time, be courteous, say ‘thank you’ and ‘please’. Don’t be a moaner, present yourself well, respect colleagues, be trustworthy and be authentic. Everybody can spot a colleague who goes a bit overboard with initiative, ownership, communication and energy!

If you’d like to know more about how the team at First Base can help you with your next career move call 01453 755330 or email tricia.hay@first-base.co.uk

 

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