In our society the basic skills you need to survive are more sophisticated. Without some skill in communication and understanding numbers, life can be difficult.
You may know someone who deserves a good job and would find this book helpful, but who has never learned to read or use numbers effectively. If so, information and help in developing those basic skills are available from public libraries, careers services, local adult education centers or by telephone Learning Direct. Most centers have trained tutors on hand who will help to raise the level of skill either through class work or individual tuition. The teaching material is specially prepared for adults so the courses are relevant and enjoyable. Many people who experience difficulty with basic skills try to get through life without drawing attention to their situation. Problems frequently arise when they are offered promotion at work. For years they may have got along without needing to read and write or use a calculator. Suddenly, in the new job, new skills are required. They often feel embarrassed and alone. A better grasp of basic skills can be the key to a bright future. Basic skills tutors are sympathetic and discreet.
Job clubs and Job centers may have information about the company you are hoping to join. You can obtain background knowledge by reading an organization's publicity material. Check out its advertising and try to discover what kind of people it wants to attract.
If you are applying for a job with a small local company take a walk around the neighborhood and see what the clients are like. Mention your interest to your friends. If you know someone who works there they may be able to give you a view from the inside.
Best candidate
Every organization, large and small, is trying to recruit the best candidate it can find for every vacant job. Take two companies with a similar product and the more successful will be the one with the better trained, more highly motivated staff. People give an organization its competitive edge. The smaller the company, the more important its people.
But what makes a candidate the 'best'? Is it schooling, A levels, a university degree, or it is more to do with accent, dress, image and a pleasant personality? Fortunately, none of these automatically guarantees you a job. Different jobs require different skills and personal traits. The best candidate is the person who most closely meets the requirements of a particular job.
Employers have a variety of methods for identifying their ideal candidate. One method is to write a 'person specification'. This involves looking at the job description and imagining that the job had been filled by the perfect candidate. Then they try to describe what that person would be like. What sort of background would he have? What school subjects would he have been good at? How many GCSEs would he have? Would he have a degree?
Next, they might think about experience. Would the ideal candidate be a school leaver who they could train, or does the job require experience? What kind of experience would be ideal? Should the candidate have gained previous experience in a similar occupation, or does this job call for someone with wider experience in several fields? How much experience would be required to do this job - one year, five years or none at all?
Now what about skills? Would the ideal worker need to be good with figures, finance or languages? Should he be able to operate particular types of machinery - an articulated lorry or a fork-lift truck, perhaps?
Does he need interpersonal skills? Will he be required to meet the general public or handle potentially difficult situations?
Employers will also want to think about temperament. Does the job require patience and a careful eye for detail, or would it suit someone who is happier taking a broader view? Is this a job for an aggressive go- getter, or would a calm negotiator be happier here? Would it suit someone who enjoys office work and hours, or will the duties require someone to be out and about at unusual times? Would it suit someone who prefers to work in a team or someone who is more comfortable taking responsibility for himself and making his own decisions?
Temperament is also important when employers take their existing staff team into consideration. The best candidate may be the one who can fit in with the minimum of fuss or disruption. At such times, the ability to get along with colleagues is more highly valued than qualifications.
Thinking about such things enables an employer to compare your application for the job against his ideal. So don't be put off if you hear that someone with much better qualifications has applied for the same job as you. Qualifications are important, but they are not the whole story and, in any case, an inappropriate qualification shouldn't count for much. A degree in archaeology, for example, won't help anyone applying for a job as a swimming instructor. Experience, temperament and appropriate qualifications count for more.
Finally, bear in mind that it is rare for an employer to find a candidate who meets his ideal in every respect, so the candidate who seems easiest to train is likely to be selected. Skill can often be taught but attitudes may be more difficult to change. At such times aptitude is the important factor.
