The UAE-based news site Emirates 24|7 interviewed leading recruitment experts to find out what traits make a person "highly employable" or "highly unemployable."
TRAITS OF HIGHLY EMPLOYABLE PERSONS
According to Shane Phillips, MENA Regional Practice Leader, Financial and Professional Services, Stanton Chase UAE these traits make a person highly employable:
* Candor — "Honesty instills trust and trust is what makes any of us make a buying decision. Bringing an unusual level of transparency and honesty will definitely help sway things to your favor," Phillips said.
* Insight and vast knowledge about one's industry — Phillips said a person must learn to discern both global and local trends. "Know the competitive landscape, who the players are and which direction the market is drifting in," he advised.
* Acting like a business consultant — Phillips said a business consultant knows how to add immediate value, "even in the first client meeting often within minutes of sitting down in the corner office." Prospective employees, he said, should "start out of the gates by articulating opportunities you would like to capitalize vis-à-vis the employer’s brand. Get them excited about the opportunities which are on the horizon and show them how you can get them there faster than anyone else.
James Sayer, Associate Director at Robert Half UAE, said these traits make a person highly employable:
* Showing personal contribution to company's growth — Sayer said a prospective employee must make "ROI (return on investment) statements." He said a person must show how he or she personally contributed to the company based on cost savings, improved efficiency, or providing a new revenue stream. "Tangible and measurable examples will prove to the employer that you will be an asset to the organization," Sayer said.
* Knowledge of the company, industry, and competition — "With the internet and social media, there is no excuse not to have a thorough understanding of the company, including the challenges and opportunities it faces in its industry and the overall economy," Sayer said. He also advised prospective employees "to articulate where you think you can provide value."
Meanwhile, Hasnain Qazi, Middle East Business Manager at Huxley Associates, said these traits will make a person highly employable:
* Dressing in a smart, corporate way
* Knowing company history and other publicly available information, and
* Highlighting parts of one's work experience that are relevant to the company.
TRAITS OF HIGHLY UNEMPLOYABLE PERSONS
On the traits of highly unemployable persons, Phillips said some of these are:
* Bad manners (such as arriving late, dressing poorly, bad hygiene, and others) — Phillips encouraged prospective employees to be "courteous, conscientious and show up on time, be well groomed and well dressed."
* Not knowing the company you are interviewing with — Phillips said: "In today’s highly connected world even the eight year olds at the playground know that there is a new CEO at Apple, you better too!"
* Rushing into an answer and rambling on — Phillips said when faced with an unexpected question, it is better to pause "than to dive into a rambling answer, which makes no sense and gives the impression that you are prone to giving tall tales." He also encouraged honesty. "Your honest and transparent approach will be refreshing, reassuring and will foster interest," he said.
Sayer, meanwhile, described the following as highly unemployable traits:
* Discussing remuneration at the first interview — He said it is better not discuss remuneration immediately. "Doing so can potentially either price you out of the job or result in being under-paid. If you are using a recruiter, let them negotiate on your behalf," Sayer said.
Qazi, on the other hand, said these are some of the traits of highly unemployable persons:
* Making any remarks that may be deemed culturally or personally discriminatory — Qazi said prospective employees must also "avoid telling jokes, or amusing comments, as peoples sense of humor varies." He said people should instead "talk about what they themselves have personally accomplished."
Source: GMA News
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