You are about to graduate from college and start searching for a career, perhaps even your dream job.
But, do you have the skills and the efficiency a business would require? Teams that focus on working with employee strengths every day report 13% greater productivity, and having the skills and knowledge to have these strengths that employers work with is vital.
Below are some other reasons why businesses focus on hiring effective and talented people, as well as some tips to help you display your talents to get the job you want.
Focusing on Strengths Leads to Engagement
Great people versus okay people are the difference between successful businesses and mediocre businesses. Building employees’ strengths is far more effective to improving performance than trying to improve weaknesses. When you know your strengths and positive characteristics and focus on them, you are much more likely to be engaged on the job.
Ohio University did a study on employee engagement and those whose supervisor focused on strengths and positivity had a 61% engagement rather than the 57% who were not engaged when supervisors ignored them.
When you are interviewing with a manager about a potential position, make sure that you can demonstrate what strengths you have, especially using examples of said strengths.
It’s also good to use words and phrases like: focused, hardworking, and engaged in any activity you set your mind to.
This shows the managers that not only are you going to work hard at the job, but that you also know what your strengths are and that they align with what the company needs. Making sure that you ask smart questions in an interview can impress the person interviewing you; it’s good to research the company so you know exactly what questions to ask at the end of your interview.
Concentrating On Strengths Improves Well-Being
Although this should not come as a shock, those who are less stressed, worried, and angry are more likely to be productive. For those that get to use their strengths in the workplace, the more likely they are to have energy, feel well rested, and are happy.
The more hours a day that people get to use their strengths, the less likely they are to report experiencing negative emotions.
When looking for a job, make sure you get to meet employees and ask them questions about the environment, as well as ask the manager about how the support their employees.
Happier Employees Means More Productivity
One of the best ways to determine if you want a job at a company is to look at and talk to the employees to see if they are happy.
When employees feel that the company takes their interested to heart, then employees work harder and better for the company. Every year companies lose around $50 billion dollars from unproductive and ineffective employees, which is why now more than ever they are looking for talented and skilled workers.
A great example of a company caring about their employee happiness and fixing problems is Starbucks. They found that when employees are faced with agitated customers, good employees were losing their marbles, so they did something about it. Instead of punishing the individual employees, Starbucks instead created new training material that helped eliminate the stress of these situations, becoming empowered, more successful, and happy again.
So, as you begin your search for your dream job and future career, keep in mind that businesses are more often than not hiring talented and effective employees. Do your research about the company and the level of employee happiness, as well as prepare for questions in interviews about your skills and how you approach challenges.
Focus on your strengths and positive characteristics, and make sure that the talents you are bringing are what the company needs.
Photos courtesy of: Ohio University, “Why Focus on Talent in the Hiring Process?” and USC, “Psychology of the Office Space”
photo credit: Men at work via photopin (license)
