What do recruiters want?

Initiative and problem solving can be asked for in a variety of ways.  Many adverts will simply ask for candidates who can “take the intiative to get a job done" or "have the ability to resolve problems"; others, however, may not make it so obvious.  You have to learn to interpret phrases like:

• “We need people who can set goals and surpass them; people who have ideas, flexibility, imagination and resilience…”
• “Want to take responsibility and like to use their initiative; Have the confidence and the credibility to challenge and come up with new ways of working…”
•  “An enquiring mind and the ability to understand and solve complex challenges are necessary…”
• “We are looking for fresh, innovative minds and creative spirits ...”
• “We’re after ambitious graduates who can respond with pace and energy to every issue they face…”

These quotes are all taken from job adverts in graduate magazines and they are all asking for more or less the same two things:

• The ability to use your own initiative, to think for yourself, to be creative and pro-active.
• The ability to resolve problems, to think logically and/or laterally, to use ingenuity to overcome difficulties and to research and implement solutions.

These are important skills which recruiters look for.  They want staff who will take the personal responsibility to make sure targets are met; staff who can see that there might be a better way of doing something and who are prepared to research and implement change; staff who react positively, not negatively, when things go wrong.

Do you have these skills?

Problem Solving

The easy answer is yes!  We all use our initiative and creativity to solve problems every day.  A simple example is - it’s raining and you are going out to meet a friend but you don’t want to get wet, so you solve the problem by using an umbrella, or getting a taxi, or changing the location/time of the appointment or, maybe, changing the appointment to a ‘virtual’ one so you don’t have to go out at all.  Whatever you decide to do, you have used your creativity and initiative to solve a problem!

It is important to view problems, particularly relating to employment, as opportunities for improvement, both for yourself and for the organisation. You are likely to have to apply techniques of problem solving on a daily basis in a range of working situations:

• You may have to use your degree subject knowledge to resolve technical or practical issues
• You may have to diagnose and rectify obstacles relating to processes or systems
• You may have to think of new or different ways of doing your job
• You may have to deal with emergencies involving systems or people.

No job is without its problems and it is important to show to a recruiter that you have the personal resilience and the right skills to see problems as challenges, and to thrive on the pressure they may bring.

The precise skills or techniques you will use can vary considerably, depending on the problem and your role in the organisation.  You may have to use a logical, methodical approach in some circumstances, or be prepared to use creativity or lateral thinking in other situations; you will need to be able to draw on your academic or subject knowledge to identify solutions of a practical or technical nature; you will need to use other skills such as communication and planning and organising to influence change. Whatever issue you are faced with, some steps are fundamental:

• Identify the problem
• Define the problem
• Examine alternatives
• Act on a plan
• Look at the consequences

This is the IDEAL model of problem-solving. There are other, more complex methods, but the steps are broadly similar.

Initiative

You use initiative on a daily basis to solve problems. Recruiters also look for staff who can take the initiative to improve something, whether it is a service, a process or a product. Typically, recruiters will look for staff who:

• Go beyond expectations in their tasks, projects or job description, without being asked, and accepts additional responsibilities
• Demonstrate a positive attitude to getting things done, looking beyond the obvious for all relevant facts and information
• Minimize potential problems by anticipating and preparing in advance

Using your initiative in a work context is about spotting opportunities to develop the business. This can, for example, include learning new technology to make your work more productive/faster; being willing to look at processes and systems to see if there are things you can suggest to improve workflow; recognising opportunities that will improve the business and being prepared to follow them through; volunteering to learn new tasks so you can be adaptable and help out in emergencies or at peak periods.

How can you prove to a recruiter that you have these skills?

You have to think of examples of when you have used these skills.  These examples can reflect everyday situations, as well as more specific ones.  It is just as valid to tell a recruiter how you overcame a problem whilst travelling abroad, for instance, as it is to tell them how you resolved a difficulty with a customer during a work placement. You could use examples from your work experience, your leisure activities, your academic work and even your personal circumstances (resolving issues with flatmates, coping with a family emergency etc.).

What is important, is how you describe it.  It is not enough to say “I often take the initiative to resolve problems”.  You have to prove it!

We suggest you think of an example and then use the STAR technique to describe it:

S	Define the Situation
T	Identify the Task
A	Describe your Action
R	Explain the Result

This technique is useful at all stages of the selection process so it is worthwhile getting to grips with it.  Here is a detailed example:

S- define the Situation: (where were you? what was your role? what was the context?) 
I work shifts at a call centre which manages orders for several online companies.  One evening I had to deal with a very irate customer who had been promised a delivery a week ago and had still not received it. 

T – identify the Task (what was the problem? what was your aim? what had to be achieved?) 
Whilst listening to the customer, I accessed his record.  This was no help in solving the problem as it simply re-iterated what the customer was saying and did not give any more up-to-date information.  I promised the customer that I would do my best to help but I would need to do some research and phone him back.  He reluctantly accepted this.

A – describe the Action you took (be clear about what you did!) 
I could not check with the office as they were closed and my Supervisor had already left for the evening, so I searched for the same product code to see if I could find updated information on other records.  This confirmed that the product was now back in stock and that several deliveries were actually scheduled for the following day.  There seemed to have been an error which had resulted in my customer’s record not being updated, so I reserved my customer his machine and then persuaded the Logistics Manager to include him in the schedule.

R – highlight the Result you achieved (what was the outcome? be specific and, if possible, quantify the benefits)
My shift was over but I telephoned him back and explained what I had done and hoped very much that it was convenient for him to accept delivery the following day.  He was delighted with the initiative I had taken and thanked me.  Two days later my Supervisor told me that I had received excellent feedback from a customer and I would be nominated for Employee of the Month!

To use the STAR technique effectively, remember:

• You are the STAR of the story, so focus on your own actions.
• Tell a story and capture the interest of the reader.  Include relevant details but don’t waffle.
• Move from the situation, to the task, to your actions, and finally to the result with a consistent, conversational approach.

A detailed statement like this can be used in online applications, or used at interview. It is also easy to adapt it for use in your CV, eg:

1. My work experience at the Call Centre required me to develop good problem solving skills when dealing with difficult customers with stock and delivery issues.
2. I have good customer service skills developed through resolving problems relating to stock and deliveries whilst working for a Call Centre.

Adapting Your Examples

The example above, for instance, could easily be altered to prove your communication skills, show that you can adapt and be flexible, and that you have great customer service skills.  It is worthwhile spending time writing statements like this about all your experiences and then adapting them to match each recruiters’ specific requirements.

courtesy: University of Bradford