Back to Blogs
Ifc P1 Image
Share this Article

The attitudes guaranteed to impress HR

No one can doubt the importance of qualifications and experience in the world of HR,howeverattitudes andbehavioursare becoming more and more significant when both applying for jobs and trying to gain a promotion.

In fact, even if you aren’t the most formally qualified candidate you have a real chance of success if you are self-taught and are able to highlight your resourcefulness. Indeed, there is a growing trend within HR where a specific set of attitudes,behavioursandskills can truly impress as they are considered to make you more likely to be successful in your chosen career and certainly will make it easier for you to gain the role or promotion you desire. 

Significantly, according to a survey conducted by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), attitude is the most important factor for 78% of recruiters. The attitudesemphasisedare highly prized as they are seen as making candidates and employees more able to survive and indeed thrive in a world where there is rapid change and where new markets and technology is an everyday occurrence.

So, what are the attitudes guaranteed to impress HR?

Being proactive - a candidate who can clearly demonstrate they are able to be proactive with their self-management, initiative, focus, resourcefulness and who is seen to take control of their own learning and career path will be highly valued. HRwantto see candidates who are willing to see solutions where others see problems.

Being able to execute action - it isn’t good enough to talk the talk you have to be able to demonstrate you can and have walked the walk. The ideal candidate will be able to develop effective strategies and should also be willing and able to roll up their sleeves and go to the front line.

Structuring and prioritising activities or tasks, breaking activity down into manageable and measurable parts and successful project deliveryareparamount. Time cannot be wasted developing innovative strategies that aren’t possible to execute.

360° Vision - the ideal candidate must be open to new ideas, options and innovative solutions from all sources, be able to see problems from multiple angles and challenge the accepted way of doing things with a positive outcome.

These attitudes demonstrate you will undoubtedly be a great leader and will detect problems in good time and create the ideal solution.

Be assertive - the ability to communicate appropriately and effectively is of vital importance, as is the right level of assertiveness where you are able to display impressive verbal, logical, listening and written skills and the ability to persuade and influence.

Many leaders are unable to be assertive and empathetic at the same time and as a consequence projects and group tasks often don’t go as expected or outcomes are less than desired. Therefore, HRwantto see assertive and empathetic skills as you are more likely to be a good negotiator and leader.

Equipping yourself with the attitudes that are highly valued by HR will help set you up for success in your career and allow a business to seize new opportunities and drive growth and productivity. It is paramount to ensure your full potential is fulfilled by honing the attitudes needed by businesses now and in the future and thatareseen by HR as valuable currency.