What are the three major characteristics that you bring to the job market?

Answer 1

Something I learned a long time ago that I've since passed on to my daughter and others is that companies today no longer have that "employees come first" attitude - that went away in the 80's. You need to have a mercenary attitude about your career, and a plan for what you want to achieve in your future. To that end, any company you interview (I say that meaning that you should be interviewing THEM while they interview you) and the job you're interested in should fit your long-term goals. Without knowing what you want to achieve, you can't effectively determine which company has the qualities you desire that would make you even consider sending a resume' to it. So figure that out first.

Salary is always an important consideration, but shouldn't necessarily be at the top of the list - you can have a high-paid job, but if it sucks every day to go to it that paycheck will look a lot less desirable as time goes on (unless it's the kind of money that allows you to "offset" anything that's bad about the job, but that's rare, even in high-paid jobs). If it sucks, it sucks, and no one likes to work at a job where you're accomplishing nothing or you have a manager that's a complete a$$.

Benefits - Benefits (quality and type) should be at the top of the list for anywhere you might want to work. You need to know that if you have health or financial issues, you're covered.

Human Resources - Even though many corporations don't treat employees like they used to, some still have better employee programs available that make the job a lot better. Things like internal day care, gyms, flexible work hours, tele-commuting, paid expenses, etc. can make a lower salary worth much more in the long run. For example, my daughter works at a lobbying firm in D.C., starting out there as an unpaid intern and working as an unpaid intern for over a year. However, she made such an impression that they hired her full time starting at 35k/year. Doesn't sound like much, but she has all commuting expenses paid, all medical paid (when I say all medical paid, she doesn't pay any premiums - if she has any medical bills, she turns them in and they're paid in full), bonuses, and time off that many companies don't normally give. She still shudders when she remembers at one time she actually considered a management position with Wal-mart because she was getting discouraged about not finding the right job due to lack of experience, having spent 5 years in college getting her BA and MA (she did a 1 year Master's program, nearly burned her out). The lesson here is that sometimes it's worth it to work for no salary if you have no experience, if someone is willing to let you work to get the experience. You get the benefit of the experience, networking to make new contacts, and eventually the possibility of being hired. At the very least, it shows companies how dedicated you are to advancing yourself - not everyone is willing to do something like that.

Educational opportunities within a job are also a big HR consideration. My best friend, who is FBI, was just offered a sabbatical opportunity to obtain a Master's at Harvard Law School (2 weeks, 80 hours). Other companies have similar educational opportunities for their employees, so keep that in mind. At the very least, you should be asking about it, as employers are more likely to hire you if they know you want to further your education, thus making you a more valuable employee.

In order, I'd put them as HR first, Benefits second, and Salary last. The environment you work in will ultimately determine how well you do in the long run, and the Benefits you receive also go a long way toward your well-being, especially if you have family considerations. Taking a little less in Salary is worth it, but don't work for nothing, unless as I said you're only doing it because you have no experience and someone is willing to give you that as an intern. And the reverse is also true - if you go for a higher Salary in a job with less benefits and HR programs, make sure it's enough to offset and compensate for what you're not getting.

When I talked about having a mercenary attitude, aside from the overall package an employer may present to you, you need to have confidence in your own ability. Employer HR departments hire based on a known set of requirements for the job they're filling - salary, experience, etc., so don't try and get something they're not prepared to offer if you don't have the requisite experience. Check around in the industry you're looking to work in to get an idea of what salaries are being paid for your experience and educational level, then decide before you interview how low a salary you'd be willing to work for. Don't be stingy about just one limit or they won't even talk to you - be willing to negotiate and be flexible in any discussions if they decide they want to talk to you further. Remember an initial interview is just the first step a company takes in getting to know a little about you, and you about them.

Finally, NEVER go to an interview without first studying and learning a bit about the company you're interviewing with - what they do, who the CEO is, where they have offices, their products, etc. Sounds silly, but you'd be surprised at how many people I've interviewed that were just looking for any job and had no clue about the company I worked at. Employers don't expect you to know everything, but they do expect that you have a reason for wanting to work there, other than just wanting a job. If they get that impression, your resume' will go in the round file.

Answer 2

When asked to name the three major characteristics that you bring to the company, you have a chance to market yourself. You can mention diligence, efficiency and forward-thinking.

Answer 3

There are many attributes that a person can bring to a company. People can bring positive attitudes and creativity for example.

Answer 4

Experience

Expertise

Knowledge