As a new or potential employee, it is crucial to understand employers’ expectations. It can be quite frustrating as a job seeker to put great effort into your job search and still be rejected. But this could result from a lack of understanding of what employers expect.
So, what do employers generally expect their employees to know or do?
1. Are You Competent Enough?
This is the first criterion that is typically reviewed before an interview invite is sent. Competency is determined based on the skills acquired during childhood and adulthood.
Strive to understand job descriptions before applying. This will help you to determine your competence and, if you are, to craft your resume and application letter such that your competence is visible
2. Are You Intelligent Enough?
Intelligence is not about scores in your academics. It’s about how you would be able to handle a day-to-day challenge using common sense. This becomes evident when you ask questions out of curiosity and listen to the answers. Employers want to know that you can intelligently tackle situations.
3. Do You Have Good Communication Skills?
This is also one of the key criteria employers look out for. Regardless of your sector or industry, communication is a must, whether written or spoken. Every employer wants employees that can express themselves properly and clearly. You would also need to provide feedback, ask questions, file complaints, and so on.
As a result, you have to improve your communication skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). You can take online courses, listen to language podcasts, or practice communicating with your friends, family, or mirror.
4. Do You Love Learning?
Most employers want employees who are open to new ideas. Several jobs require you to adjust your current knowledge by unlearning what you know, learning new things, or relearning things you have forgotten or learned poorly. Hence, you have to be ready to learn.
5. Are You Loyal?
During interviews, you may be asked about your previous employer. This could be a test of your loyalty towards the company. Ensure you do not give negative or degrading remarks about the employer or person you worked with at your last job. Always remember that every experience offers you lessons. Loyalty means highlighting those lessons, despite the situation.
6. Are You a Team Player?
Another attribute employers expect is the ability to work in a team or with others. During interviews, you can highlight the various assignments, projects, workshops, and symposiums you participated in during your college studies or previous work assignments and how you participated.
7. Do You Always Maintain Your Composure?
From how you answer and the method of a handshake or how you sit, the interviewer will assess your personality and self-confidence. During interviews, try to maintain cool composure. Employers typically assess your stance or posture to determine if you are calm and composed. And this will inform them of whether you can cope under pressure.
8. Do You Manage Your Time Well?
A great way to show your motivation and professionalism is to be time conscious. Being punctual can show your commitment to planning and time management. Effective time management will help you stay organized and reliable.
Moreover, meeting deadlines can help organizations reach their goals, make decisions, maintain processes, and deliver services more efficiently. It’s necessary for employees to meet their deadlines so the company can stay on schedule and keep its clients satisfied. To better meet deadlines, prioritize projects by the due dates, plan enough time to finish each task, and organize your projects in a calendar or planner.
9. Is Continuous Improvement A Big Deal for You?
Employers understand their employees make mistakes from time to time. Instead of being discouraged by your mistakes, they expect you to use them as a learning experience. Strive to remember what caused the mistake to avoid it in the future.
Conclusion
An expectation is a thought or belief that something will occur. Organizations and managers have expectations of their employees. Take note of the expectations we have discussed, and you’ll be on the right path to satisfying your new or potential employers’ expectations.