Business |Featured

The Two Faces of the Job Market

By Norma Carnera | bio | contact

Getting the Right Job and Keeping It; Hiring the Right People and Keeping Them

So you made yourself a promise that this year you would step out of the boat and make a career change.  The word on the job market, though, has not been too terribly encouraging and with headlines on job markets using verbs such as tough, tight, low and loss–instead of stepping out of the boat, making a move now conjures up feelings of walking the plank.

What could be done to make you stand out, to give you the edge over other fellow prospective employees?  If you find yourself wanting to make a change or simply changing your status from unemployed to employed, you may want to consider the following if you want to find a job and keep it.

You should possess a well-written resume.  This simple document is the key that can open doors to interviews, it can also disqualify you from a decent opportunity, so make sure it is error-free in every way.

Once you get the interview, make sure you are punctual to every appointment.  You want to impress your prospective employer even before you open your mouth with your promptness.

Dress professionally.  It is said that you should dress to your interview as if you already had the job.  You cannot possibly be hired on the spot and be expected to work for an important firm in jeans and a t-shirt.

After you lock in to your desired job, it is important to keep the same enthusiasm you had while searching for the job.  That is to say, grow with your job, if you need further education to preserve your employment, then educate yourself.  It is important to have a good attitude while searching for a job (employers can tell if you are desperate, or calm and in control).  One thing that is becoming very clear in the current job market is that you remain grateful for the job you have.  The excitement of a new job can wear out a little too soon, but a good dose of reflective gratitude is sure to change your attitude.

The flipside…

Despite the economic turmoil, your business is thankfully still up and running.  It is no coincidence however, you offer the right product or service, and have the right employees.  Perhaps you are reading this and you have been putting up with a few less than ideal employees; they are not trustworthy, lazy and don the attitude that regardless if they are constantly texting or eating while on the clock- you ought to be appreciative of the fact that they are on your payroll.

How do you find the right people and keep them?  There are a few things that as an employer, it is essential to look out for when searching for the right individual for the job.

As an employer it is crucial to be a good listener.  Listening to a person during the initial interview will give insight to what the potential employee is like.  You can tell what is going on with a person just by listening to them speak.  Are they emotional?  Get ready for office drama.  Are they excusing themselves for their attire or tardiness?  Prepare to have this person shift responsibilities to others.  Are they upbeat and positive?  These are things to look for as you interview candidates.

True enough, the job market may be tough, but that does not necessarily mean that your employees will remain faithful if there is that ever-lingering possibility that there is something better out there.  So why not be that ‘something better’ and build a solid team of steadfast workers?

Lynda Lucas, career coach and owner of Resumes by Tammy in El Paso, Texas, had a few ideas of her own regarding the question of how to keep good employees.“I like to ask employees what they expect from me.  It gives the employee a sense of empowerment.  Once they respond I turn it around.  I ask them what I should expect of them.”  Lucas explained that this helps establish a relationship between the employer and the employee that underlines the importance of keeping both parties happy.  “It is important to communicate, that way you know as an employer what is going on with your people.”

Whether looking for the right employee or for that much-desired job, one thing is for certain, a good attitude is important in the middle of this oft described ‘tough’ job market.  It has been said that if you seek you shall find—the right employee or the right job.