Change font size
To get a job good for you, you need to understand the Real Reasons Employers Hire Who They Hire
Did you know that very few managers share in the profits of the company?
You'll find that most managers are themselves employees and have different priorities than do business owners. Having been in management, and having supervised other managers for many years, and having gone to the seminars for human resources professionals (the last one was actually titled "How to Weed out Flakes"), and having helped thousands of people get hired when they were finding it difficult to find a job for themselves, I discovered the following to be the real priority list for most managers for hiring new employees:
- WHO WILL MAKE MY DAY THE EASIEST
- If this is true, it means that the number one priority for most hiring decisions is the avoidance of unnecessary work, avoidance of unnecessary hassle, and the freedom to concentrate on the job functions that the manager thinks is the most important, but not necessarily the most urgent. A good job for you = an easy job for the manager.
- WHO WILL MAKE ME LOOK THE BEST
- Since almost all managers are themselves employees, whether salaried or hourly, one of their constant goals in life is to promote themselves within the organization. If the people they supervise don't help them with this goal, there is virtually no reason for that subordinate to exist. A job good for you is a job that helps your boss get a promotion.
- WHO DOES THE MOST OR BEST WORK
- Of course, this includes things like knowledge of the specific job duties, having a good work ethic, producing usable materials, etc.. This is going to be one of the things that any manager will be looking for in new or existing subordinates, but it is the easiest skill to train, and most supervisors know they're going to be training every new hire to one degree or another. Of the three skill sets listed above, it is the ONLY skill set that the manager is really allowed to train, formally screen for, or use as the formal reason for firing somebody who doesn't measure up.
Apply for jobs with Bed Bath & Beyond on SnagAJob.com
Let's talk about these three things in more detail.
Make The Boss's Day Easy
This is by far the number one reason that an employee can ingratiate him or herself to the supervisor. Let's look at the different ways that the supervisor's day can be made difficult, and that will give us a good idea of how we can do the opposite; make the supervisor's day easy. Let's go down the list.
Show up every day
Absenteeism is the number one reason people get fired. It is very simple, if you do not show up for work, the boss will either have to do your work for you that day, or find somebody else who can. That is going to take hours out of his or her day. If no one is available to do your work for you when you are absent, that work will not be done, and that will mean that the work scheduled for the following days will have to be recalculated, unless deadlines are going to be missed. If deadlines are missed, the supervisor will have to answer to his supervisor about why they were missed. It is possible that the supervisor will have to write a corrective action report, detailing how the process will be changed in order that deadlines are not missed in the future.
Be on-time every day
The ability to be on time is highly prized by anybody in supervision. When I was supervising construction crews, if there was a crew of five going out on a job, and one person was only 15 minutes late, I still paid the hourly wage or the other four who had shown up on time. Assuming everybody was ready to leave for the job site immediately, the entire job was starting out that day 1 hour and 15 minutes late. That may delay the completion of the job. If it happens at all regularly, it can delay the completion of the job by a week or more. It is possible that those 15 minutes cost thousands of dollars to the contractor.
Even when there is no immediate delay in provision of services or product, being late for work is often more noticed by other employees than being absent. If someone is late consistently, it will change the attitudes of the other people who observed the tardiness. If you have ever worked for an organization where nobody ever really cared about quality or quantity of production, I would be willing to bet that tardiness was the most observable feature. And, if you were to research when the bad attitude started, it probably started with just one or two people starting to the consistently late, and nobody in management did anything about it.
Stay until the job is done
This seems so obvious that we don't have to mention, but the truth is that very few people really put enough importance on turning in a full day's work for a full day's pay. Just this week, I received several referrals to my agency that were more than six months old from another agency. This happened because the other agency's employee had simply stuck the referrals in his/her desk instead of staying until the job was done. As result, those clients did not receive the services they needed in a timely manner.
Be sure to do your job completely. Do not try and wiggle out of job duties that you find distasteful; somebody else will just have to do them. And, most likely, they won't do them either, and you will have to do them at the last minute, with time pressure behind you, and the supervisor having to watch you every minute to make sure it gets done. Just do it right the first time.
This is so very important that it was one of the deciding factors that my supervisor told me helped him make his decision to hire me in my current job. During the interview, when they asked me what my supervisor would say about what I needed to improve the most, my response was, "Well, Mr. "Smith" yells at me almost every day. As he is going out the back door at five o'clock, he hollers all the way across the office and says, "Paul! We don't pay overtime; go home!" (As I said that last statement, I saw a smile spread across my future supervisor's face, which he quickly hid.)
Say yes to the boss
One of the things that irritates supervisors or managers the most is having an employee who always wants to argue with the instructions that the boss or supervisor has just given. It is a direct challenge to the authority and/or competency of that supervisor and is inviting the supervisor to do something about the insubordination. Let us look at the different ways that this occurs:
Bad-Mouthing
The most common way to disagree with the boss is to talk negatively amongst your co-workers when the boss is out of hearing. This is so very common, that most people do not regard it as equivalent to saying no to the boss. In the American workplace, grousing and complaining is almost considered part of the job duties, but it is always good to remember that the boss usually knows who is saying what, and that will influence their decision on who gets the better job duties, who is retained during downsizing, and who is promoted when opportunities arise. You can undo a lot of goodwill between you and your supervisor by complaining.
Sniping
This is almost always hilarious, but not to the boss. Generally the sniper uses humor to point out the obvious difficulties of company policy or practices. Most of the time, the supervisor that feels the brunt of the verbal abuse, already agrees with the sniper that the policy probably should be changed, but that the supervisor does not have the authority to make such changes. While an occasional humorous comment can actually improve the morale of a group of workers, constant sniping will wear down the group and create a focus on all that is negative within the workplace.
"Helpful Suggestions"
When made frequently, and in public, even when the suggestions are excellent, and should probably be implemented, "helpful" suggestions diminish the respect that the supervisor has from your co-workers. Once again, it makes the supervisor appear to be either incompetent or less than intelligent. These things can be seen as a personal attack upon the supervisor. When you have suggestions to make, consider talking to the boss privately. And it might even help if you started the conversation with a phrase such as, "You probably already know this, but I see…".
Do what the boss says
This one again seems to be unnecessary to mention, but it is surprising to see how many people use passive aggressive behavior in the workplace. Passive aggressive behavior is when a personal agrees verbally with the supervisor, but, once out of sight, the passive aggressive person does exactly what they had intended to do all along, simply ignoring the instructions that were very clearly given them. The philosophy seems to be, say yes to anything, but then do whatever you want.
When you do disagree with something that the boss has told you, there are better options than arguing. Let's look at some of these.
Talk to the boss privately about why you disagree with what you were just told. It is possible to have a normal discussion with an employer. Most supervisors are reasonable human beings, who are bright enough to understand when there may be better ways to do things. Remember to have a conversation, do not just lecture the boss. If the boss cannot get a word in edgewise, it is not a conversation anymore than it is if you cannot get an opportunity to express what was on your mind.
Privately make a proposal to the boss. You might propose to try doing things in the standard way for a specific time frame, and then try it your way for the same time frame, and compare results. The best way to approach the bosses may be to involve them in the problem solving process. If you can come together with the boss, develop a solution, and present the recommended solution together to the management team, it is much more likely to be implemented. You will develop a team attitude between you and your supervisor (which may spread beyond the two of you) and, most importantly, the improved process/product/service may become part of the everyday work life for the entire company.
Place a formal suggestion. The corporate suggestion box is often overlooked, most often because the belief is that it will not have any results. Even working for the State of California, which is a cumbersome bureaucracy, I have been able to get changes implemented statewide by making formal suggestions. Both of the departments that I have worked for have noted that I make implementable suggestions, and my supervisors are much more likely to listen to verbal recommendations now that I have established a track record of success.
My "employee handbook" is a business card with only 4 items. I have had several clients obtain employment by taking my "employee handbook" to businesses without openings, hand the boss the card and ask, "Can you use someone who does these four things?".
WHO WILL MAKE ME LOOK THE BEST
The only managers that I am aware of that don't have people that manage them are owners of small businesses. Even CEOs of large corporations have boards to whom they have to answer. Even the CEOs, who make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, even with bonuses for increasing the profits of the corporation, must please the board in order to keep their jobs. Everybody that has somebody else that decides whether they keep their job or not is very concerned about how they appear to their supervisors.
Since most managers do not directly produce a product or service, how they look to their supervisors is dependent upon the impression their supervisors have of the line staff. That means you and me. If we look professional, our supervisors do too.
One of the most frequent complaints that I hear from employees about supervisors is that they take credit for the work others perform. The reason they do that is that it helps them to look good to their supervisors. If we can help them to look better to their supervisors by sharing the credit with them, don't you think they would be willing to share the credit with us? Is there any way that we can actually stop them from taking credit for the work we do? Of course not! Those who learn to help their immediate supervisors look good to their supervisors will probably be promoted. Those who don't probably will not get much support from the boss, no matter how well they perform their job duties. So how can we make our supervisors look good?
Be professional all the time
Be professional all the time in the workplace. That includes everything already mentioned in how we can make the boss's day the easiest. However, it goes beyond that. I should not need to tell you what professionalism looks like. You have good examples and bad examples all around you. Every day you are either a good example or a bad example; only you can choose which one you will be today. If in doubt; seek additional information. The Employment Coach is developing a book on the subject. Check our book list regularly, as we are constantly writing new books.
Share the credit
Share the credit. When you receive a complement about the quality of work you are doing, find a way to include some action that your supervisor did that enabled you to perform professionally. It can be as simple as giving you the opportunity to work on that particular assignment. It could be (and frequently is) that the boss provided some suggestions that you were able to implement that resulted in the complement you are now receiving. Remember, every business is a team operation. No matter how isolated your particular job duties are you do depend on co-workers and supervisors in order to have all of the resources you need to perform your job well. Affirm their contributions regularly!
Include your boss
Remember to include your boss's name on any suggestion or proposal that you submit, assuming you have discussed the proposal with him or her. Discuss the suggestion and ask for any recommendations they might have to make the suggestion easier to accept and approve. Keep the team participation going strong!
Share the credit
The fact that you share the credit should be obvious during an interview for a new job. While you are talking about the excellent skills that you bring to the new company/position, be sure and give some of the credit to your current and previous supervisors for helping you develop those skills and abilities. If you look for it, you will be able to say something positive about every supervisor you have ever had, even the worst of them.
Cross train yourself
Cross train yourself. First, know that the more positions you can fill the more valuable you will be to the company or agency. Eventually, one of your co-workers will be absent, and something urgent thing will need to be done. At that time, you will make yourself and your supervisor look good if you can step in and fill the absent person's shoes. For long-term advancement, it is not uncommon for supervisors to be expected to be able to fill any of their subordinate's positions, if needed. So one of the ways to prepare yourself for a future supervisor position (if you should so desire) is to be able to do everybody's job, and do them well. The best way to become cross train is to simply observe carefully how other people do their jobs. Don't pass up the opportunity, to see if there is a way that you could do it more efficiently, or with better results. Be careful how you communicate suggestions; all suggestions for improvements should make your co-workers and supervisor look good, not bad. Suggestions that imply that somebody else has not been doing their job well are likely to be looked upon with disfavor. That could work against your long term employment possibilities.
Complement your supervisor
When appropriate, do not be afraid to complement your supervisor's professionalism. We all appreciate a note of appreciation or letter of recommendation, but somehow we do not think to give these to our supervisors. Why not, especially if they deserve it? While you are at it, send a copy of a sincere note of appreciation or letter of recommendation to your supervisor's supervisor.
Make your supervisor your partner
Make your supervisor your partner for your professional development. Do not be afraid to ask your supervisor for things like additional training, work assignments that would improve your professionalism and the efficiency of your company or agency. Don't be afraid to ask your supervisor for their honest opinions (understanding that their professional position requires some restraint on candor). As long as you genuinely desire and work towards your supervisor's professional future, along with your own, your supervisor should have no reason to distrust you or mislead you, and can assist you to grow.
WHO DOES THE MOST OR BEST WORK
Obviously, in order for a supervisor's day to be easy, and in order for the supervisor to look good, the product or service that the company is providing must be of sufficient quality and quantity for customers to continue to make their purchases. This means that every employee must be able to perform at least to a minimum standard. If the supervisor can find someone who can do more or better work for the same price, it would only makes sense to replace a substandard employee with one who will do more or better work.
However, what many employees do not understand or acknowledge is that it is often easier and less expensive to upgrade the skills of an individual employee than it is to fire one employee in order to hire another. Supervisors understand that the new employee will probably need to have some skills upgraded or sharpened and would prefer to work with an existing employee who has a good attitude than to gamble on hiring a new employee.
Remember to discuss with your supervisor any difficulties you are having in producing the quality or quantity of goods and service that is being requested. Be willing to learn. Be willing to learn new ways of doing old activities. Changes in technology often present opportunities to increase the accuracy of production or decrease production time. Be proactive. Always be looking for better ways to do every single thing that comes across your workday. Ask for training on the newest technology. Challenge yourself to be in a constant state of improvement and innovation.
It is okay to volunteer for new projects or duties. Very seldom will minimal employees thrive over the long haul. Of course, if you are volunteering to take on additional duties, it is only reasonable to talk with your supervisor about adjusting some of your existing workload if you cannot reasonably do everything you were doing before plus the added duties. Always speak with your supervisors as if they are reasonable human beings; most of them are.
HOW TO APPLY "WHY EMPLOYERS HIRE WHO THEY HIRE" IN THE JOB SEARCH PROCESS
I have had business cards printed, using two headers. One of them is "Four Keys to Employment Success", and the other one is "My Condensed Employee Handbook". In both cases the contents are exactly the same:
Every supervisor to whom I have shown these cards loves them. Most asked if they could keep it. All of the bosses have told me that if I can send them employees who will do just those four things, they would feel like they had died and gone to heaven. If you can make it your practice every day to make your bosses' day easy, make your boss look good, and be professional in executing your job duties, you will not only stay employed, you will probably be promoted regularly.
If you can indirectly communicate to a prospective employer that you can make their day easy, make them look good, and be professional in all your work activities, you will probably be offered a job at nearly every interview. There are numerous opportunities.
Resumes
Be sure to emphasize real accomplishment statements on your resumes. Under each job list the things that got positive attention. Statements like;
"NEVER LATE, NEVER ABSENT",
"LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION",
"EARNED A PERFORMANCE BONUS EVERY YEAR", and
"DEVELOPED A NEW PROCESS THAT SAVED THE COMPANY $310,000"
are all phrases I have put on clients' resumes. That way, the employer is aware that you make their days easy and them look good even before they meet you. If your resume only lists job titles and duties, you cannot can tell if you were fired from every job or got stellar reviews!
See the section on resumes for more information.
First Contact Spiel
Your first contact sales patter must contain at least three reasons for the employer to interview you right away. Statements like,
"I was on my last job 9 years and earned 6 Employee of the Month awards.";
"My productivity stats were always in the top 7%"; and
"I paid for my kid's college with my bonus checks."
get attention and will frequently inspire an interview even when they are not currently looking for new employees.
Interviewing
Many interview questions are great opportunities to subtly let the interviewer know that you are the kind of employee they are looking for. "Tell me about a difficulty you had on your last job and how you resolved it." can be answered by a short story illustrating how you worked together with a supervisor to resolve a company problem. Every answer should illustrate to the prospective employer that you will make their day easy, make them look good, and that you are on their team. There are many excellent books on interviewing. I have several. Check out the "Other Books" section.
You need to be on your boss' team before he/she can get on yours. That is what they really want to know when they ask the question, "Are you a team player?"
Questions? Comments? - Forum
