Published 28/09/2010 12:00:00 AM by Kelly Pfeffer, Graduate Coordinator, Queensland Treasury
Unfortunately for students, there is no unique combination of skills and attributes that employers are looking for. Each employer is different and looking for different things from applicants.
The public sector is a very different work environment. It has great career opportunities, but it is also highly scrutinised and accountable for its actions, there is a high level of change and expectations to achieve a lot with minimal resources. Also, there can be multiple organisational cultures within one department let alone across the sector. Because we want to retain our employees, all these factors are considered when developing our recruitment strategies.
Recruitment practices can easily identify things such as communication skills, teamwork, problem solving, computer literacy and leadership potential. What is much harder to identify and assess are an applicants personal attributes. These are the personal attributes that almost guarantee a positive employment experience in the public sector. The top ten personal attributes I look for in candidates are:
Confidence – not to be confused with arrogance. Someone who is not afraid to ask questions, doesn’t feel the need to impress others with what they know, they feel comfortable with themselves and does what he/she feels is right.
Flexibility – can adapt easily in an ever changing environment. Someone who can quickly meet the needs of clients when facing multiple priorities, can adapt to the personality and work habits of co-workers and supervisors, can move to different areas of the organisation and quickly integrate into new teams, can deal with changes to work procedures or the unexpected cancellation of projects.
Motivation – keeps up-to-date with new developments and knowledge in their field. Someone who looks for self development opportunities and requires little supervision and direction to get work done.
Dependability – responsible for themselves and their behaviour. Someone who gets to work on time, who carries out their tasks within agreed timeframes and keeps their supervisor informed on their progress or any other issues.
Loyalty – dedicated to the organisation they work for. Someone who displays an understanding of the organisation, who is considerate of the investment made in them and talks positively about the organisation they work for.
Initiative – takes the first step without prompting. Someone who doesn’t sit around waiting for work to come their way, who can identify an issue and implement a solution, who manages their time well and researches answers to questions before approaching co-workers and/or their supervisor.
Positive – optimistic. Someone who seeks opportunities within their job or team, who displays a positive attitude despite their personal feelings about a decision or action by management, who tries hard and makes an effort to get on with others.
Friendly – approachable. Someone who displays good teamwork skills and awareness of those around them. Can maintain work relationships and build networks.
Ethical – willingness to work hard and work smart. Someone who makes decisions based on organisational policy, who can follow established rules, who uses resources efficiently and acts honestly.
Humble – low estimate of one’s importance. Someone who is truly appreciative of the opportunities presented to them, who makes the most of what they have, who participates and contributes despite their personal opinion, who doesn’t think highly of themselves and is willing to learn and grow.
So, how do you know if you have these attributes? Do you have the self-awareness to do an honest assessment of yourself? Maybe, you could ask people around you what they think. For example, if you receive an email from an employer advising you that you were unsuccessful for a graduate position, what is your immediate reaction? Do you send a heated email in reply or do you react professionally and request feedback to help you for next time?
Try developing your own checklist of things to consider when applying for roles. This can include how you present yourself to employers at career fairs right through to when you submit your application. This will help you to ensure that you display these personal attributes throughout the recruitment process. Here are some other things to consider:
Invest the time – applying for jobs takes time. Mass producing applications without any tailoring is not going to help you…and employers can tell! Proof read your documents…even have someone else read them for you. Do some practice online tests so you know what to expect.
Acceptance – accept the recruitment process as it is. Employers develop their recruitment processes specifically to meet the needs of their organisation. Respect this process.
Professionalism – always interact with employers with professionalism. It doesn’t matter whether this is face-to-face, over the phone or via email. Do not speak negatively about any previous employers….this doesn’t show loyalty. Show appreciation for any assistance provided to you by the employer.
Preparation – is the key to success. Research the organisation, particularly get a good understanding of what the key issues or projects are for that organisation at that time. Refer to the organisation using the correct terminology/title.
Patience – don’t miss out on opportunities in your haste to succeed. Sometimes, particularly in the public service, your first role may not be your ideal, but it may lead to bigger and better things. A move sideways rather than upwards could be the best move you make. Building your networks will lead to further opportunities.
There are many opportunities available to you….you just need to know what it is your looking for. Make an informed decision about which programs you apply for and put time and energy into your application/s.
Yes…we want you to work for us…but most importantly we want the ‘right’ people working for us. Make sure you present yourself as the ‘right’ person! Best of luck with your career choices.
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