The words from the other side of table-1

Here is the first post from my "The words from the other side of the table", which provides perspectives from the hiring managers and other related experts:

"There are some good tips about how to interview, etc., in these answers. The importance of both language and culture has been mentioned. (And you even have advice on your blog about what to wear, too.) 

I’d like to add: If your readers are just graduating from university, an employer might have two big questions about hiring them. But both questions also apply to American university graduates! 

1) How good are their communication skills? Not only do they speak, understand, read and write English well (which is more of a challenge for an international student but, sadly, also applies to Americans to some extent), but also: Are they good listeners? Can they take feedback well? Can they express company policies politely and positively to customers? 

2) Do they understand business etiquette for the work world? For example, will they interact well with coworkers? Do they know when it’s appropriate to ask for time off? Do they have business social skills for company events or meeting clients? 

These kinds of questions are so interesting for business people, young and older, that newspapers, business magazines and blogs, and job websites feature them again and again. It’s a great idea to start reading them before you graduate. Your readers might also like to know that there's a book about the multi-cultural aspect (“Recruiting, Retaining, and Promoting Culturally Different Employees” by Lionel Laroche and Don Rutherford) and I have written about these questions for ESL speakers on my website (see link). 

For many young people who are looking for their first job, having a mentor (as Linda says) or experience in a volunteer or internship placement is very useful. From their experience they can get a reference. And that reference should be able to give positive answers to questions like those above, which will be very reassuring to a prospective employer. 

The above two questions address “soft skills.” Of course, a potential employer will also want to know about candidates’ “hard skills.” 
3) Do they have the knowledge and skills required for the job? Or can they learn them quickly? This is where your degree, as well as any work experience, plays a role. 

Hard skills are important for getting the job – because soft skills are difficult to assess from a resume and interview – but soft skills will help you keep the job and get promoted.

All the best to you and your readers."

---Joan Bartel, ESL Curriculum Specialist and Facilitator: 

Business soft skills and language for internationally educated professionals 

See www.OfficeSoftSkills.com for her biography and for tutorials on soft skills.