After reading the article below, I could only agree. Of course companies want to hire great people, and they do have a key set of attributes that they look for. But how do they really go about finding these A Players? They sure don't ask you in an interview, "Are you a self-disciplined, champion with foresight, and a drive to compete, who operates at high integrity?" The A-player college screen starts before the interview, way before, as in what is your GPA, SAT score, leadership participation on campus, and the pedigree of your degree and college? The last one is the biggie. And, how much work experience do you have in your chosen field, as in years not days or months. Seriously, the degree alone won't do it. That's for new grads. If you are a seasoned professional as an A-player, you will need to be employed (not self-employed or unemployed), in an identical position and equivalent level to the company's opening. You will be working already in the company's business domain or industrial sector. Finally, do not be looking for a job, as they do want to find you. How to they screen for the characteristics below? Well if they are smart hiring companies they will do 3 things to all hires: new grads to experienced executives.
Forbes Magazine: The Five Characteristics Of An 'A' Player For many startups, hiring the best and the brightest is not an option — it’s an absolute necessity. You’ve probably heard this sage, albeit generic advice before: “Only hire ‘A’ players.” Of course! Who doesn’t want “A” players? Who doesn’t want people who have the talent, skills and drive to make a company successful? But the real question is: Can you recognize a top performer when you meet him? We all like to think we can, but even the best can overlook real talent. Think back to Facebook and Twitter. Both companies failed to hire Brian Acton, cofounder of WhatsApp, which was recently acquired by Facebook for $19 billion. Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO, shows off the new messaging system in Facebook. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Simply put, “A” players are great competitors. Avoid overlooking one in your midst by understanding these five characteristics:
What characteristics have you found in your best hires? Mary Ray is the co-founder of MyHealthTeams, which just closed a Series A round. She is always on the lookout for A-players. She drives the product vision and product development of all the MyHealthTeams’ web and mobile applications, oversees marketing, UX, design. The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. Read article here
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New branding on a theory with a proven track record. Daniel Goleman wrote about EQ (Emotional IQ) several years ago making the point that people need not just smarts to get ahead as in IQ but the ability to relate to others as well. In fact the EQ was more important than the IQ all things being equal. It is now as a theory moving into action and coming to real fruition with social networking and social media inside and outside organizations. Also globalization impels communications by video. The article is filled with good advice, and overview of the current situation. This continues to build a case for a good digital footprint that includes video, audio, image and content. Your first impression precedes you online and then in reality you will need to live up to it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Why Likability Matters More at Work Likability Is More Important—and Harder to Pull Off March 25, 2014 7:03 p.m. ET, Wall Street Journal Is "Likability" is becoming a bigger factor for success at work as social networks and videoconferencing grow. The impact goes beyond a high-school popularity contest. The ability to come across as likable is shaping how people are sized up and treated by bosses and co-workers. Likable people are more apt to be hired, get help at work, get useful information from others and have mistakes forgiven. A study of 133 managers last year by researchers at the University of Massachusetts found that if an auditor is likable and gives a well-organized argument, managers tend to comply with his suggestions, even if they disagree and the auditor lacks supporting evidence. Likability is more important—and harder to pull off—on video than in person. Sometimes this can result in a style-over-substance effect. People watching a speaker on a videoconference are more influenced by how much they like the speaker than by the quality of the speaker's arguments, according to a 2008 study in Management Science. The opposite is true when a speaker appears in person. The use of personal videoconferencing is expected to grow 47% annually through 2017, according to Wainhouse Research, a Boston market-research firm. Read full article here |
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