What are employers looking for?
Ken Pelczarski | TLT Career Coach July 2016
47 lubricant-industry hiring managers reveal the qualities that matter most when evaluating job candidates.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / edharcanstock
KEY CONCEPTS
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Work ethic, motivation and a positive attitude are the three qualities employers value most in a job candidate.
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Hirers expect candidates to come to the interview having researched the job, company and industry and prepared to sell themselves.
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Thirty-eight percent of responding lubricant companies say they plan to increase head count in the second half of 2016.
THIS IS THE 28TH CAREER COACH COLUMN I have written during the past five years, and you will find it different than any other in one respect. As always, I am sharing my perspective on various topics, but in this column my comments are based on survey responses and ideas from hiring leaders in the lubricants and additives field.
I recently e-mailed a survey to 275 hiring managers and executives asking 13 questions pertaining to what they seek in job candidates. The survey included three statistical follow-up questions. I received 47 completed surveys and want to thank those who found the time to answer survey questions.
If you’re an employer, the survey results allow you to see how your views compare to peers in the lubricants industry. If you’re a job candidate, the survey is an opportunity for you to (1.) learn what is important to employers, (2.) gain confidence in how you fit employers’ needs and (3.) take appropriate action to improve your skill set and job-search capabilities.
Following are the survey questions along with employer responses.
1. Which three qualities are typically most important to you in a job candidate? (Parentheses indicate the number of people selecting that answer.)
(13) Work ethic
(12) Motivated
(11) Positive attitude
(11) Team player
(11) Problem solver
(10) Integrity
(10) Intelligent
(8) Accountable
(7) Goal-oriented
(6) Quick learner
(5) Critical thinker
(5) Career passion
(5) Adaptable
(4) Resourceful
(4) Creative
(3) Proactive
(3) Honest
(2) Responsible
(2) Leader
(2) Competitive
(2) Persistent
(1) High-energy
(1) Charismatic
(1) Loyal
(1) Cooperative
(0) Assertive
(0) Respectful
(0) Empathetic
(0) Understanding
(0) Determined
(0) Resilient
(0) Logical
(0) Reasonable
(0) Tolerant
(0) Visionary
(0) Mentor
Analysis: The top seven qualities as determined by hiring personnel are work ethic, motivation, positive attitude, team player, problem solver, integrity and intelligence. The next tier of qualities chosen are accountable, goal-oriented, quick learner, critical thinker, career passion and adaptable.
Candidates must be prepared to prove they possess these desired qualities throughout the interview process.
2. What is your biggest pet peeve with job candidates during the interview process that might even remove the candidate from further consideration? (Pick up to three. Parentheses indicate the number of people giving that answer.)
(14) Lack of preparation (not researching company, position, job posting, culture or industry)
(7) Poorly dressed (dressing less than business casual, wrinkles, not wearing jacket and tie, not well-groomed, not presentable)
(6) No good questions (asking only scripted or no questions)
(5) Poor oral and written communication skills (sloppy presentation, not able to articulate ideas clearly, difficulty answering questions, lack of social skills)
(5) Poor attitude (arrogance, negativity)
(5) Dishonesty (overstating qualifications on resume and during interview)
(5) Unable to maintain eye contact
(5) Late to interview
(4) Apathy (disengaged with the process, lack of enthusiasm/interest)
(4) Emphasizing salary and benefits too much (raising topic in first 10 minutes, asking about money before talking about the job, not focused on the fit and the role)
(4) Lack of relevant experience and accomplishments (skill set does not match job, does not know the industry)
(3) Lack of professionalism (too casual, swearing)
(3) Being disrespectful
(3) Lack of energy (especially for salespeople)
(3) Talking too much (not listening)
(2) Not answering questions directly
(2) Sense of entitlement (want VP job right out of college)
(2) Not asking for the job (not focused on moving forward)
(1) Not following interview instructions
(1) Not wanting to fill out online application
(1) Negative attitude about current or previous employers
(1) Self-centered
(1) Feeling too comfortable with interviewer
(1) Not being understanding
(1) Too high energy
(1) Lack of common sense
(1) Too many short-term jobs
(1) Unable to cite real accomplishments
(1) Unsure of own goals
(1) Inability to solve problems outside the box
(1) Not presenting how they can contribute
(1) No good reason for switching jobs
(1) Want to work in the office (for a sales position)
(1) Over-familiarity
(1) Too well-coached
(1) Name droppers
(1) Too many pat answers
(1) Does not take notes
(1) Makes a contradictory statement later in the process to what they told you in the interview that had made them an ideal candidate
(1) Not paying attention to the boss in a dual interview
(1) Not understanding fundamental drivers of our industry
(1) Understanding meaning of marketing (it is much more than advertising and marketing communications)
(1) Taking call in location with background noise (for phone/Skype interviews).
Analysis: Many pet peeves were cited by employers, but lack of preparation was mentioned by far more employers (14 of 47) than any other. Preparation through research of the company, position and industry is necessary to make the most of your interview experience. Thorough preparation helps convey your interest and is the basis for asking good questions, confirming your relevant experience and potential fit into company culture, and stimulating ideas on ways you can contribute.
Other top pet peeves cited by many employers included poorly dressed and groomed, not asking good questions, poor communication skills, poor attitude, dishonesty, no eye contact, showing up late, apathy, focused too much on salary and benefits and lack of relevant experience. Candidates must be focused and prepared for an interview from the first minute since the majority of these pet peeves will surface during the all-important first impression stage.
In an interview, be prepared to discuss real-life problems you incurred and the processes you used to solve them.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / photography33
3. Please share one of your favorite questions to ask in a face-to-face interview that will usually reveal a lot about a job candidate (Parentheses indicate the number of people asking a question in that category.)
Why you are interested in and/or the best candidate for the position (8):
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What interests you about this position in favor of the one you are in today? (A well-prepared and well-qualified candidate can articulate satisfaction gaps in their current role and what he or she believes they are running to rather than what they are running away from.)
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What interests you most about the position?
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Why do you want to join our company? (Most candidates start explaining why they’re unhappy or want to leave their current employer and forget to express the desire to join the prospective employer.)
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Why are you leaving (did you leave) your last job, and why do you think things will be different at our company?
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Why join our company? Why this job? Why leave your current company?
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Through a series of questions, is the person passionate about working for our company?
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What should I know about you that is not in your resume that would convince me that you are the right candidate for this position?
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If you were in an elevator and bumped into us hiring managers and we gave you two minutes to tell us why you were the best candidate for the job and what separates you from the others, what highlights or key messages would you tell us? (This reveals key message presentation skills, selling skills, how detailed they may be, do they go over the time limit, do they go down tangents, do they detail out resume from beginning to end, are they able to sell themselves quickly without details and focus on most important selling points and so on.)
Real life problem-solving questions (8):
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I ask situational problem-solving questions that will showcase their education, experience and common sense.
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What steps do you take when you need to make an immediate decision but don’t have much data available?
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I love the behavior-based questions, there are no right or wrong answers but require the candidate to describe a specific time they had to deal with a certain situation. Chances are, if they handled it a certain way once they will typically handle it the same way again.
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Tell me about a time...?
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Always like to talk about problem-solving situations abilities and how they created a solution.
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Share an example that demonstrates your ability to successfully position and sell very high value, premium products. What were some of the roadblocks you faced? What was the ultimate result?
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I usually ask about who their toughest competitors are and why. I ask them to solve a strategic issue that we have, given their knowledge of us, or how they might land a particular customer for us, so I can see what they know about the industry, what they know about us and how they think strategically.
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How do you make soap? (When I was hired into the industry over 30 years ago, this question was asked me. Very applicable to our business. I got it right doing my interview and that sealed the deal for my job.)
What others would say about you (4):
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Tell me what your coworkers and supervisors would say about you, your productivity, attitude, demeanor, accomplishments, etc. (I’m looking for certain answers that show an alignment in the individual’s mindset and our culture.)
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Name a person you know personally and whom you have respect for. What would that person say about you if I were to call them right now?
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On a scale from 1-10, with 10 being exceptional, how would your last supervisor/manager rank you and why?
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In your previous positions, if I were to reach out to your supervisor and peers, what would be the one thing they would tell me about you that would influence us to hire you?
Questions about interview preparation (3):
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Please tell me a little bit about my company.
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Based on research you have done, why is Company XXX looking in particular to fill this position?
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I always provide an information package for the candidate to review. I like to ask questions from it, and some that should be feasible to find with research. What I want to know is how much effort they have put into prepping for the interview. It tells me a lot about their work ethic and motivation to want to work at my company.
Failure and adversity questions (3):
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Tell me about a time when you had to overcome adversity.
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Can you give me an example of a failure you had at work and what you learned from it.
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Tell me about a failure you have personally experienced in your job career.
Questions about your current job (2):
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Please provide me with your current day-to-day activity and how you plan your schedule?
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What is a typical day like?
Other questions (9):
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Tell me about yourself.
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What are the three most important things you have learned in your career?
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What are your weaknesses?
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Why they left prior positions? (I’m looking for honesty)
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I’m very interested in their hobbies. What excites them outside of work. I’m looking for well-rounded candidates. (I really don’t like standard questions about where the applicant sees themselves in five years or tell me about their weaknesses.)
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Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with your boss? How was it resolved?
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What three attributes make a good salesperson? (After they answer I ask them to rank themselves vs. those criteria.)
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What part of the sales process do you like more, bringing a new order or solving the problem of the customer?
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How would you go about integrating yourself into a new organization?
Analysis: Responses to this question stressed two points in particular: (1.) employers like candidates to sell themselves, including discussing why they are interested in the position, why they are the best candidate and why this position is better than their current one and (2.) employers like asking behavioral questions in order to evaluate problem-solving and critical thinking skills in real-life job situations. The third-ranked question employers like to ask is what others, including supervisors and peers, would say about them. In addition, employers like to ask questions that will test how much interview preparation the candidate conducted, which is a recurring theme in this article.
Said one employer: “Many candidates come to interview without the faintest idea about the company or the role. Even worse, they cannot describe how their skills and experience will be of value to the position they are applying for. Most candidates are a problem looking for a solution. They expect the hiring manager to figure out how they may fit the role. I want to be sold to. Bring me a candidate that is a solution looking for a problem, a candidate that can describe how their unique skills and experience can be leveraged to meet the organization’s needs.”
Said another hirer, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
4. How often do you vet candidates on social media?
(12) Always
(7) Frequently
(17) Sometimes
(11) Never
Analysis: Vetting candidates on social media is certainly a growing trend. I am surprised, however, that the numbers for always and frequently were not higher. The fact is, though, that 36 of 47 responding employers (77%) vet candidates at least sometimes on social media, which is a big reason to be careful what you are posting about yourself.
Two employers who responded never will be starting to vet candidates on social media soon. One employer who responded never says it is a compliance issue.
5. How important is it for a candidate to send a thank-you note within a few days after a face-to-face interview?
(15) Extremely important
(13) Important
(11) Somewhat important
(8) Not very important
Analysis: 28 of 47 employers (60%) state that thank-you notes are either important or extremely important. Only eight of 47 employers (17%) state they are not very important. Thankyou notes are usually expected by employers, and if one is not received the assumption might that the candidate is not highly interested in the position. In addition, a thank-you note often can stimulate further interest on the part of the employer when they are on the fence about a candidate.
One employer who ranked a thank-you note as extremely important says they want to know the candidate is interested. Another employer who responded extremely important likes to receive handwritten thank-you notes as well as by e-mail. One employer who responded not very important says the note does not help or hurt the candidate, but it is a standard courtesy with which an interested candidate should follow up.
6. How often do you give preference to a candidate who is currently employed over one that has been unemployed for 6-12 months?
(3) Always
(12) Frequently
(13) Sometimes
(18) Never
Analysis: Most employers understand there are many acceptable reasons for being unemployed for an extended period. Thirty-one of 47 employers (66%) would never or only sometimes give preference to hiring a candidate who is currently employed over one that has been unemployed for 6-12 months. This is good news for unemployed candidates who have had personal or family issues or who have used their unemployed time productively by taking classes, volunteering, consulting and/or actively job searching.
One employer who responded never stated they select the best candidate through a rigorous interview process. Another employer who responded never said they do not believe the unemployed should be considered inferior or deserve less pay.
Job interviewers often ask questions designed to showcase your presentation skills.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / 4774344sean
7. How often are you open to hiring a candidate who was let go from his/her previous position for performance reasons?
(2) Always
(2) Frequently
(31) Sometimes
(12) Never
Analysis: Responses to this question indicate that employers are leery of hiring candidates who were released from their previous job for performance reasons. Only four of 47 employers (9%) would always or frequently be open to hiring such a candidate. Forty-three of 47 employers (91%) would never or only sometimes consider hiring such a candidate. These responses stress the importance of maintaining a clean performance record, even when you are experiencing problems with your company or your boss.
One employer would be most concerned with a lapse in integrity or inability to work with others. Two employers emphasized they would like to hear both sides of the story first. One employer said it depends on the candidate’s transparency, what they learned from it and the fit of the past and future roles.
8. For a position requiring many years of experience, how often do you consider hiring a candidate with only five years left to work in his/her career?
(10) Always
(21) Frequently
(15) Sometimes
(1) Never
Analysis: This question describes a scenario of an employer hiring for a position that requires many years of experience. I was happy to see that 31 of 47 employers (66%) frequently or always consider hiring candidates with only five years left to work in their careers, and only one of 47 employers never consider it. This is good news for professionals late in their careers in situations when the right type of position becomes available.
9. When you have finished interviewing two equally qualified candidates, which of these factors are most important in deciding who to hire (select up to three)?
(32) Attitude
(27) Motivation to succeed
(8) Regular follow-up
(6) Promotability
(36) Long-term fit
(7) Salary
(3) References
Analysis: This question presented to employers the dilemma of deciding between two candidates deemed equally qualified after completion of the interview process. Responses showed three clear favorites among the choices of seven factors that would best determine which candidate to hire. The No. 1 factor was long-term fit, chosen by 36 of 47 employers (77%). Attitude ranked second and was mentioned by 32 employers (68%), and motivation to succeed ranked third and was mentioned by 27 employers (57%). Candidate follow-up and references were not mentioned as often as I expected. Salary desired was only mentioned by seven employers (15%), which indicates that most employers are not looking to hire the cheapest candidate.
10. Which of the following two candidates would you be more likely to hire?
(4) One with 90% of the desired skill set along with average motivation and record of success.
(43) One with 50% of the desired skill set along with outstanding motivation and record of success.
Analysis: The response to this question is what I was hoping for and expecting. Ninety-one percent of employers state they would rather hire a candidate with 50% instead of 90% of the desired skill set if the candidate has greater motivation and a better record of success. One employer in particular emphasized hiring for potential.
I have always promoted this concept and call it my 50/50 rule, in which half the battle is education, experience, skill set and capabilities (can you do the job?), and the other half is motivation, interest, enthusiasm and goals (do you want to do the job?).
Said one employer: “Never hire for skills. Hire for passion. Skills are cheap. Passion is hard to come by.”
11. How likely are you to hire a candidate who is the most qualified for the job but where the job offer would need to be 30% lower than the salary the candidate has earned in recent years?
(1) Extremely likely
(14) Likely
(22) Somewhat likely
(10) Not at all likely
Analysis: Employer response to this question is encouraging. 32 of 47 employers (68%) stated they are not at all likely or only somewhat likely to hire an individual at 30% below their market value. Most employers realize this scenario might lead to short-term employment because the candidate will depart quickly for a much higher salary. Another issue to consider is that the lower salary is indicative that the position is well beneath the challenge and responsibility level to which the candidate is accustomed.
12. How often have you been open to hiring a candidate who works for a competitor and possesses a non-compete agreement (understanding that it depends upon the identity of his/her current employer as well as the letter of the agreement)?
(3) Always
(13) Frequently
(22) Sometimes
(7) Never
Analysis: The response to this question shows that only seven of 45 employers (16%) rule out a candidate because of a noncompete agreement. Notice that 22 of 45 employers (49%) only sometimes consider hiring a candidate possessing such an agreement, which confirms this is an issue that needs to be explored thoroughly case by case to determine the risk level for a non-compete agreement violation. (For more on this please see my Career Coach column, Dealing with Non-Compete Agreements, in the November 2013 TLT.)
One employer who responded never to this question stated that it is a company policy. One employer who responded frequently said it is with the stipulation that they would not violate the agreement, and they may even be willing in special cases to provide “garden leave” until the non-compete expires.
13. How much do you value a candidate’s volunteer involvement and accomplishments in STLE?
(6) A great deal
(20) A fair amount
(20) Not a lot
(0) Not applicable to my industry
Analysis: Twenty-six of 46 employers (57%) state they value STLE volunteer participation and accomplishments either a fair amount or a great deal. Although 20 employers responded not a lot to this question, volunteering with STLE remains valuable for networking and educational purposes and is a valued credential to add to your resume in the eyes of the majority of employers.
Before the meeting, research the job, company and industry and be prepared to sell yourself in the interview.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / gstockstudio
14. Which of the following best describes your hiring plans for the second half of 2016?
(18) Increase head count
(2) Decrease head count
(27) Maintain head count
Analysis: Employer response to this question is quite encouraging for the remainder of 2016. Eighteen of 47 employers (38%) expect to increase head count, and only two of 47 employers (4%) expect to decrease head count. Even though the economy may be growing at a slow and steady pace, the lubricant industry has seen an unusually high number of professionals switching companies for better opportunities during 2015 and 2016.
15. Please rank on a 1-7 scale (7 being the most) the following sources from which most of your hires for a professional positions are found:
(4.25 average) Networking/referrals
(3.78 average) Job board searches
(3.85 average) Social media
(3.93 average) Internal company search
(3.92 average) Company Web site
(4.09 average) Advertisements
(4.17 average) Recruiters/search firms
Analysis: Upon calculating average scores for responses from 1-7, you will observe that this question elicited responses that were surprisingly almost equally divided for level of hiring among all sources. Although networking was the No. 1 hiring source, it did not rank far ahead of other sources. Recruiters/ search firms ranked second and advertisements ranked a surprising third. Although social media and job board searches are trending favorably, it is obvious that many employers still prefer traditional methods of recruitment. One employer mentioned in university career fairs.
16. What is the number of employees in your company, business segment or individual team, for which you answered the previous two questions?
(5) 1-9 employees
(13) 10-49 employees
(5) 50-99 employees
(12) 100-499 employees
(12) 500+ employees
Analysis: A cross-section of many sizes of employers was represented in this survey. However, no statistical correlation was found between employer size and specific survey responses.
CONCLUSION
Writing this article was a fun and educational experience despite the many hours it took to conduct the survey. I truly appreciate the participation and support from so many lubricant-industry employers. Survey responses confirmed many of my original thoughts and views but also enlightened me in ways I did not expect.
I hope this article did the same for you.
Ken Pelczarski is owner and founder of Pelichem Associates, a Chicago-based search firm established in 1985 and specializing in the lubricants industry. You can reach Ken at (630) 960-1940 or at pelichem@aol.com.