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I recently asked some friends their views on interviews and recruitment. They are all senior managers in a variety of businesses with great experience at both interviewing & being interviewed. They’ve all kindly answered in a personal capacity, so with a quick change of name, allow me to introduce the panel:
Over the next few posts I’ll share their views. In our interview courses and coaching sessions, we frequently hear people saying that they haven’t got the exact skill set out in a job description so I asked… “Skills or Attitude - which matters most?” The panel were unanimous on this one, with Gloria saying "Attitude! There is lots we can teach but we want people who live our values. People who are curious, take care, act courageously and have pride in what we do.” Mary agrees “Always attitude. There are of course roles where you really need the skills, but not at the cost of attitude.” She adds some advice for interviewers too “But importantly, this isn't the euphemistic 'culture fit' which limits diversity. It's important to recognise the attitude you want doesn't wear the same clothes every time.” Matt continues that theme “Personally, I go with attitude. Obviously if the job is specialist then a certain skill set needs to be in place but if you are able to offer training to the individual that will mean they can do the role, then if they have that attitude or appetite to learn and you can see they will fit into your team, then they are worth a shot. Some of the best people I’ve employed have had zero experience of the role but they learnt everything we taught them and blossomed as a result becoming great at the job and earning advancement as they progressed.” Tony is also happy to take that risk “In my view skills are important but attitude is critical! That doesn’t mean that you would employ someone with no base skills for the role but I would much rather take a calculated risk on someone with less skills but a great attitude – that is something you can’t teach someone.” He also offers this advice to any recruiter “ Recruit an attitude, train on skills.” In further discussion, all of the panel emphasised that not only had their companies recognised the need & invested in training, they were proud of the development they were able to offer. Created by Ian Nicholson 
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You’ve got an interview, congratulations – it means the employer likes what they’ve read or seen so far and want to know more about you. Although they can be a bit daunting, here’s a few tips to help you interview to your best.
And, finally, try to remember that the interviewer is a human being too & that at some point they’ll have been in your seat. They know what you’re going through. The events of the past year have led to many of us re-appraising what we want to do for a living. Whilst for most the need to find something new is not from choice, it still gives an opportunity to think again about what is wanted from a job.
Whenever I’ve been asked for advice by people looking for a new role, I’ve suggested stepping back from saying “I want to be a...” and instead think about what the role contains rather than what the job is called. To start, think about the things that interest, excite and motivate you. They don’t have to be work related; they just need to be the things that get you out of bed in the morning. Our Confident to Work course can help you discover these likes and dislikes. That is the easy bit, but then you need to think about why and sometimes you need to ask why a few times until you get to the underlying reason. For example I like talking to customers. Why? I like it when they ask for help with a problem. Why? I like the personal challenge to fix things. It may take more than one “why”, but it shouldn’t take more than five (“The Five Whys” is the subject for another time!) You should end up with a list of the things that make you tick, and you’d want to form the core of any role. Next think about the tasks that turn you off. You don’t need so much analysis here but try and divide them into two lists; 1) The things you’d avoid because you’re not very good at but would like to learn. 2) The things you’d avoid because no matter how good you might be, you just don’t want to do them. Armed with your three lists, you should look for a role that delivers as much as possible of your first list, a smattering of the second and as little as possible of the third. If you land the job then you’ll be somewhere that interests you, has a core of skills you can already do and the chance to learn more. It’s maybe true that there is no perfect role, but by focussing on finding one that speaks to your inner being and plays to your best skills then you’re giving yourself the best chance to find it. So, if you’re reconsidering what you want to do, whether by choice or not, why not take the time to find the best fit for you in whatever the post-pandemic world becomes? For more information and support in this very topic contact the team at Works for Us. Created by: Ian Nicholson, Technical Support and Mentor @ Works for Us You’ve filled in the application, you’ve sent off the CV, but what happens next?
Usually an employer is going to have many many more applications than they have positions, so the first thing they’ll be doing is a paper sift to get down to the half dozen or so people they’ll actually invite for interview. So what’s in their mind when they are sifting? Obviously they’ll be wanting someone that actually wants the job and has the skills already, or can demonstrate the ability to learn. But what else do they want? Speaking from experience, I want it to be easy to see those things, I’ve a lot of CV’s to get through! The personal profile is where it all starts, it needs to sell me the picture of the applicant - what they are, why this job is right for them & why they’re right for the job. Hook me in, but make sure any claims can be backed up later in the document. From there I’m asking three things when I look at the job history:
written by Ian Nicholson - experienced employer and volunteer for Works for Us. |
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Company Registration number: 2265182. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN: 617670
Registered office: 8b Clarendon Drive, Wymbush, Milton Keynes, MK8 8ED