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We want you if...
by Rena Lidstone
After the first impression, skills and qualities of the candidate are what employers consider
most
when making hiring decisions.
As many UH-Clear Lake students prepare to graduate and venture into the job market, it is
imperative to know what employers are looking for in order to gain a competitive edge over other
candidates.
"Employers are looking for candidates with leadership skills, individuals who are assertive, and
people who know what they want and what the company has to offer," said Tasha Taylor, coordinator of
recruiting with UH-Clear Lake's Career and Counseling Services.
Taylor also stated that grade point average is very important to many of the companies that
recruit
on campus. For example, Duke Energy requires a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Accounting firms such as
Anderson and Deloitte and Touche want candidates with a GPA above 3.25.
"Our Career and Counseling Services database matches students to employers," Taylor said. "Some
companies have a standard, and our database will outline the GPA criteria of the employer and make
the match."
Particularly in an uncertain economy, the National Association of Colleges and Employers
recommends
that students take an inventory of their strengths and study the job market demands for graduates
with similar education and experience.
NACE recently named the top 10 personal qualities employers seek in job candidates. They are:
communication skills, honesty and integrity, teamwork skills, interpersonal skills, motivation and
initiative, a strong work ethic, analytical skills, flexibility and adaptability, computer skills and
self-confidence.
Although employer expectations are straightforward, some qualifications are not learned in a
classroom.
"Enthusiasm and a good work ethic should be innate; these traits cannot be instilled," Taylor
said.
Drew Walker, human resources consultant with the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston,
agrees.
"When interviewing candidates for a job, I look at their leadership skills and interpersonal
skills,
not to mention their personalities," Walker said.
When considering the skills of an applicant, Walker said computer skills, past experience, and
analytical and problem-solving skills were the most important.
"We also read body language and ask various behavioral questions to get a feel for a person's
analytical and problem-solving skills," Walker said.
Applicants entering the teaching profession at the Galveston Independent School District also
are
screened with an instrument similar to the behavioral questions asked in UTMB interviews. GISD uses
the Haberman Foundation's Selecting Star Teachers screening instrument to assess teacher candidates.
"This instrument identifies candidates who will work well with at-risk students," said Joani
DePingre, human resource specialist with the Galveston Independent School District.
DePingre also confirmed that the district looks for applicants with leadership skills,
especially
those considered team players.
"You can identify team players by looking at the activities they participated in outside of
college
and work," DePingre said.
For new graduates with no past work experience, an internship is advantageous.
"An internship shows that you have some sort of real-world experience," Walker said. "It is to
your
advantage to participate in an internship while in college."
For students entering the field of education, a student-teaching internship is a requirement.
"We will actually call the school where the applicant has done his or her student teaching,"
DePingre said.
"We interview the candidate's principal and mentor teacher to get an idea of his or her work
ethic,
leadership skills and community involvement."
When graduates have no real-world experience to offer but appear qualified, Walker relies on the
references supplied with the resume to learn about the candidate's history.
"I will call references or sometimes professors to check on the candidate's leadership skills
and
to get an idea of their role or involvement with campus organizations," Walker said.
Students can gain leadership skills at school by joining various student organizations.
"These organizations help students interact with others, share viewpoints and make decisions,"
Taylor said. Another edge employers look for when interviewing applicants is whether the person has
done research about the company and the job.
"If someone has done their homework, that is a plus," Walker said.
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Landing the perfect job takes more than an expensive suit, an attractive resume and arriving early
for an interview.