PACTful Candidates Land Jobs

Reprint from expertclick.com

PACTful Candidates Land Jobs Dallas, TX Wednesday, April 18, 2012
 
PACTful Candidates Will Land the Job

By Mallory Chamberlin, PhD

Author, e-book Resumes That Sizzle

Four essential elements make successful employees, whether current or prospective. The good news is that every candidate is a PACTful prospect, provided that the candidate can realistically do the job sought.

Interviewers, probably without exception, evaluate candidates in these four areas, even if they don't consciously use PACT. So, what is a PACTful candidate?

One who is Professional in appearance, has a good Attitude, Communicates well, and has the necessary Technical skills to do the job.

Reflect on these four attributes from the moment you leave home and make them part of that one and only first impression.

Professional: Know the vision and corporate dress policy and appear for the interview accordingly. Certainly don't dress down or appear sloppy or unpolished. Support your professional appearance with accurate and proper job and industry jargon.

Do not try to be who you aren't, and don't mislead or fabricate. When you apply for a job, the same principle applies as in business. You should create a good first impression to the interviewer or manager. You dress smart to look professional.

During the interview, speak clearly and answer the questions in a convincing manner. Remember that you are selling yourself. So, put your best foot forward. Establish yourself as a trusted source. Act and appear your best.

Attitude: Interviewers today increasingly look for good attitudes. In fact, attitude may be the most important factor for success on the job. Corporate branding professional Calli Tapler points out that "Attitude, not skills, is the top predicator of a new hire's success or failure. So WHY aren't we testing attitude? Are you motivated to learn new skills, think innovatively, cope with failure, assimilate feedback and coaching, collaborate with teammates…?"

Recent research on 20,000 new hires reveals that 46% fail within the first year and a half, and 89% of those failed due to attitude. The other 11% failed for lack of skills. Soft skills are trumping technical skills so far as reliable hires are concerned. Flexibility toward learning new approaches and the ability to handle stress and emotional situations on the job tend to ensure employee happiness and retention. Check Mark Murphy's Hiring for Attitude and Leadership IQ's site at www.leadershipiq.com.

Even older adults will do better with an attitude adjustment. The first strategy given by editors of Reader's Digest in "Finding a Job When You're Over 50" is "Adjust your attitude: Don't think about your age. A defeatist attitude will come through in an interview and will destroy your confidence. Focus instead on your abilities and experience, and feel good about what you have to offer" http://www.rd.com/money/finding-a-job-when-you%E2%80%99re-over-50/ [04/18/2012]).

Communication: Every interview is a sales call. You are selling a most important product: yourself. You know yourself better than anyone. You must earn the time to make your pitch, show the attractiveness of the product, reveal its immense value, and close the deal. "You never get a second chance to make a first impression" cannot be overstated. The cliches are correct: first impression rules; perception is reality.

In addition to knowing the proper terminology to fit the job and its industry, you must speak well, at least from the interviewer's viewpoint. Avoid the "ugh's," "ums," "you knows," "bros," etc. Reflect the language of your interviewer. Know proper grammar, but be more vernacular if the interviewer misuses grammar.

Technical Skills: This one is easy. If you don't have the necessary skills to perform the job well, don't apply and embarrass yourself during the interview process. Research the job description for its requirements before applying.

During the interview, if there is a skill or two you lack, emphasize how quickly you pick up skills and focus on related skills or capabilities that suggest you will be able to master new skills easily—and that you have the "I can and want to do it" attitude.

Go into an interview looking good, smiling, and eager to communicate that you have what it takes to fit into XYZ, Inc.'s corporate environment. That is the pactful thing to do.
 
Mallory Chamberlin, PhD
mallorychamberlin@gmail.com