Im a,retired business owner with most all of my business career in sales, management, business owner and Minister. The suggestions that I am going to make to you are for all aspects of business. They are employee, management and employer.
Everybody dreams of landing that job that is meaningful, productive and financially rewarding. In preparing for that perfect position we go to Teck School, college and or trade school to learn a trade that you would be most suitable for. One that you love doing so well that you are willing to learn amd train to become the best you can be. However learning and training is not an end in itself but the beginning. The real test is taking those mentally developed skills and put them to use where they can make your employer profitable.
Why didn’t I say, so that you can make a lot of money? Because, you may be excellent at what you do but if you are not able to make your next employer profitable you can never get a raise or a promotion. How do you do that?
First of all you should select a career in something you love to do and not the one that pays the most. If you train yourself to be the best you can at a job you do not like but pays well you will earn every dime through a lifetime of misery. Every task you preform will seem like work. You will hate going to work. If you hate your job it will effect your personality and the misery you feel will shine through and make everyone around miserable, even your employer.
Answer: Figure out what you love to do, educate yourself, train in that area and find a position in a vocation you love. By doing what you love doing for a living you will never have to work a day the rest of your life. In other words when you are doing what you love doing it will never seem like work amd you look forward to work and enjoy yourself. Your attitude is one that people would love to be around and attract success. Attracting success will attract more profits for your employer.
When going for an interview always dress for the type of work you are being interviewed for. First impressions does, can and will make the difference. If you dress inappropriately you are dead in the water. You have the first 60 to 120 seconds to make that first impression. Please don’t use this occasion to make a statement. What I mean is if you have tattoos, cover them, if you have piercings anywhere leave them home. If your statement is more important than your prospective position you minimize your chances of success.
Always be on time. If you are late you loose. If you just come at the last second you may also loose. It is best to get there about 15 minites early. Once there you can sit in the car until approx 5 minutes prior to the interview. Always leave in time for traffic. If you are going to be late because of traffic delays make sure you call in advance and let employer know how much time you are running behind.
You may have been having a miserable day but you must leave it on the doorstep before entering the interview. Don’t wear your feelings on your sleeve. You are interviewing for a job position and not coming for family counseling.
In addition to being visibly presentable for that first impression the next is a hand shake only if offered by the interviewer. Make sure it is firm and not a fishy grip nor do you want to cause them pain.
Make eye contact and smile. Let the interviewer know you appreciate this opportunity.
Always have a resume with you to present if requested. On a resume always be truthful amd as accurate as possible.
What an employer looks for in a resume:
1. Education, training school.
2. Job History. Are the positions related to or comparable with position being interviewed for.
3. Length of time with each past employer. If you have a history of short term positions for each job they will only expect your employment as long as that average. So if the employer is looking for a long term employee this would be a negative to be weighed in the balance.
There is an exception. That is if each time you left a position it was to improve yourself.
4. The length of time between one job to another. If there is no time between jobs indicates responsibility for having a continues check coming in. If you leave one job without another to go to indicates irresponsibility. You would be relying upon others to keep you until you found another job. It also indicate that you must not have liked your job, got terminated or were not productive for your employer or had bad work habits.
If you leave an employer and go on unemployment the longer the time prior to collecting and the time you applied the less chance you have of landing the position. If you apply shortly alter going on it, shows initiative and chances are better.
5. Payrol. Does it increase from one job to next? Or decrease? Do you go from a full time to a part time?
On interview. Employers always asked you what your goals are.
If you tell them you just want a job until sometimmg better comes along or give that indication you are just wasting your time.
Just as the employer wants to know you are qualified you want to have background about your employer and specifically the position you are applying for. Find as much as possible about your prospective employer. Do your homework.
Instead of giving reasons of how successful you want to become let him know that your goals are the employers goals. If you help your employer reach there goals and make them profitable then you will be exalted in your position and or income.
If you are successful at getting the position, always keep busy. If you aren’t busy find something to do by asking if there is anything else you can do for them. Two examples:
1. If you are asked to do something and you express unwillingness or mention that it is not in your job discription, from that time on the employer is not looking for ways to give you a raise or promotion but looking for reasons to terminate you.
2. If you continue to look for work when yours is completed, now the employer is looking for ways to give you a raise and promote you. You are willing to go over and beyond. You become valuable and employer certainly does not want to lose you.
In short people who do only what they get paid to do never get paid for more than what they do.
People who does more than they get paid to do eventually gets paid for more than what hey get paid to do.
And if you do end up changing jobs always, always, always leave on good terms.
It helps to have your spiritual life in order and keep in prayer for others your employer and your fellow employees.
God Bless you in your search
James Hooks
About the Author
