What qualities do you think employers value the most when hiring? / LJWorld.com

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Asked at Massachusetts Street on June 17, 2009

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“That you seem organized and enthusiastic.”

— Bianca Brown, English/creative writing major, Lawrence

“I think they value interest in the work the most, so that they like what they do.”

— Olivia Schonewise, SWJH ninth-grader, Lawrence

“Honesty and friendliness.”

— Deanna Ricketts, store owner, Lawrence

“Integrity, dependability and someone who likes what they are doing.”

— Steve Fabac, paraeducator, Lawrence

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RoeDapple 4 years, 10 months ago

wordgenie8 doesn't make any better sense now than he/she/it did as begin60..............

djneibarger 4 years, 10 months ago

duh, the answer is "attendance". you could be a complete idiot and a rude jackass, but as long as you show up for your shift, everyday, you'll keep your job.

wordgenie8 4 years, 10 months ago

You cheaters--I put smarter comments on here than almost anyone, mainly because I'm such a good worker who values responsibility and motivation and successfully works in very high-functioning, challenging positions. My tips were apparently removed when they could have been very educational to others. Someone must want to dumb us down so no one notices the obvious sharpies who populate Lawrence.

ASBESTOS 4 years, 10 months ago

what the heck is a "para educator".

mutualrespect37 4 years, 10 months ago

self-motivation, professionalism, strong communication skills, good judgment, tact, analytic skills, ability to put the customer first---to understand and address customer, client, or student needs and put yourself in their shoes.

Flap Doodle 4 years, 10 months ago

Do you like movies about gladiators?

Lacy Mohler 4 years, 10 months ago

The ability to pass a pee test. That can knock out at least 50% of an employer's job applicants.

prospector 4 years, 10 months ago

The ability to make them more money than you are costing them.

Shane Garrett 4 years, 10 months ago

50% of very job is just showing up. Obama ain't done jack for me whats he done for you?

Stuart Evans 4 years, 10 months ago

edjayhawk (Anonymous) says…

Tom Shewmon: “Being able to live on a shoestring”

Especially true when Republicans are in power…haves and have nots.

oh ya, because everyone is doing sooo much better now since the Democrats took over. now it's the 'have much less and the still have nots because they continue to squander their money on lottery tickets and cigarettes.'

autie 4 years, 10 months ago

autie..just how many cousins DO you have?

MD, I only wish I knew. They just keep popping up from the most unexpected places. Just found a new today. Seriously.

Stuart Evans 4 years, 10 months ago

Being able to leave your cell phone turned off while on the clock and coming to work close to 100% of the time. huge pluses in my book.

sgtwolverine 4 years, 10 months ago

The ability to say the right things at the right times.

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 4 years, 10 months ago

Actually, I really don't know what employers value the most when hiring.
Never had a real job interview, or submitted a resume.
Always has been customers, vendors, or competitors that have just said, "hey do you want to work for us?" Even with the Fortune 1000 companies. I always had the best luck when hiring that way too. Do they call that networking nowadays? They used to call it stealing talent.

George_Braziller 4 years, 10 months ago

The absolute first thing I looked at was the condition of the resume. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I got. Some had coffee stains, were hand written in pencil on a piece of paper ripped out of a spiral note book, folded into eighths and jammed into a tiny envelope, or contained horrible and obvious spelling errors. Those went directly to the reject pile.

When I was reviewing resumes that made the first cut the first thing I looked for was direct or related experience relevant to the job duties and responsibilities.

Multidisciplinary 4 years, 10 months ago

You should not post photos of your family reunions at a KC pub online and call it a White Trash Bash. autie..just how many cousins DO you have? Is the girl in the curlers standing on top the car with the sledgehammer your daughter? http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=418377077&albumId=1345914

bronze 4 years, 10 months ago

if new hire is related to the Bank President?

Newell_Post 4 years, 10 months ago

... that you can make money for them and not cause them problems.... I've worked both sides of the employer/employee street....

gogoplata 4 years, 10 months ago

Being highly unmotivated, with references to back that up.

SwineFlu 4 years, 10 months ago

Affinitas...absolutely nothing.

Multidisciplinary 4 years, 10 months ago

Hey snap..blue needs a golden fruitcake !!!!!!! ROFL.

Trinity..if you've stuck that ad in my head today...I know where to find you girl! :P

Look neat, speak with manners yet with ease, like you've confidently dealt with people and don't shy from being right there stepping up to the plate. Forget that teen-college "I'm an individual' garbage,(even if you're 40) and think.."Be the person every very nice parent wants their family member to bring home to dinner". Business is business, but gut level feelings are inherently there for everyone. If you aren't that 'ideal' of a winning number right off the bat, your application gets shuffled down in the pile instantly.

And while trinity's comment was aimed at that commercial..I've sure many times seen the "Wallflower lack-luster more qualified candidate' get shot down and the "No experience or great qualifications but much smarter and more motivated, and clearly who is going to pick this job up and run with it candidate' get the job and succeed very well, surpassing the the staff that's been there for years.

There is a lot to be said for "If you've got it... Also for.."You can't fix ...

edjayhawk 4 years, 10 months ago

Tom Shewmon: "Being able to live on a shoestring"

Especially true when Republicans are in power...haves and have nots.

edjayhawk 4 years, 10 months ago

Unfortunately mainly experience. They usually don't take in account your talents, abilities, skills, and potential. As a former hiring manager I weighed these as much as experience if not more.

Flap Doodle 4 years, 10 months ago

The ability to sprint 100 yards carrying a box of files. Sometimes a business has to relocate on short notice.

bronze 4 years, 10 months ago

enthusiasm

Music_Girl 4 years, 10 months ago

autie...agreed on the body piercing thing. Same goes for huge, showing tattoos. A lot of work places don't mind them if they can be covered with sleeves or whatever. Tattoos on the face, neck, hands and large/excessive piercings are generally considered unprofessional and may be the one thing that keeps you from getting a job. I think that should be mentioned a few times in college/high school courses haha.

autie 4 years, 10 months ago

I don't know about the tie thing..I wear one about twice a year to work. but I tell the females to please not dress like you are going to club on Saturday night. You may also lose points for excessive body piercing...a big chunky stud in your lip or nose ain't working for me.

ArumerZwarteHoop 4 years, 10 months ago

The ability to speak Spanish only, work for 3 dollars an hour and be paid under the table.

Music_Girl 4 years, 10 months ago

Ability to multitask and handle stress. With companies downsizing they need employees who can do 3 different jobs at once while still being cool under the pressure. Also technical and people skills help alot. Dress professionally (ladies, no excessive cleavage and gentleman, invest in a tie!).

BrianR 4 years, 10 months ago

A prehensile tail.

Kat Christian 4 years, 10 months ago

Youth and nieve and willing to kiss butt without contention. Then the other stuff, integrity, who you know, willing to work. I bet if someone 50 and someone 25 apply for the same job the 25 year old will get hired first. Especially in this town.

labmonkey 4 years, 10 months ago

From past experience, I have found you kind of have to feel the person interviewing you out. I got two jobs on ability to bullsht (and was later told that I got it because I was the only one who showed any personality). Other times, bullst doesn't work, so you just answer questions as honestly as possible. And be prepared. I always wrote answers to possible questions down on a sheet (strengths, weaknesses...and have a real weakness, last book I read, etc...) in case I had a brain-fart during the interview. And always know a problem that you had to solve step-by-step. That is always asked.

After you are hired, employers like employees who show up, and on time, someone who is compotent but not a know-it-all, and someone who will show a little initative but isn't a kiss-ass.