What makes you a great candidate for a job that you’d really like to have? Well, as you may have already guessed, there are a lot of factors, including your skills and your experience.

However, there are also other, more intangible factors. These include your soft skill set, or the way in which you’re able to interact with other people. Also in the mix is how you fit into the organization’s company culture.

But what is it that employers really want? What will “tip the scales” in your favor and give you an edge over other candidates who are also vying for this job that you’d really like to have?

It might not surprise you to know that the answer is the “bottom line.” But what does that mean, exactly?

Well, companies exist to earn a profit. (Unless you work for a non-profit or not-for-profit organization.) In order for a company to earn a profit, it must make more money than it spends. That means it must be productive enough to make more money than it spends. And that, in turn, means that it must have employees who are productive enough to help it make more money than it spends.

As a candidate, there are two main things that you must prove to employers if you want to enhance your candidacy. That’s because these are the same two things that the employer will want from you if you work for the organization. They are as follows:

#1—Being a problem solver

We’ve discussed this before in our blog. Being a problem solver is a valuable trait in the employment marketplace. Employers want candidates and employees who know how to solve problems. That’s because problems often stand in the way of being more productive and ultimately of being more profitable. If you are in the habit of solving problems, then companies are going to want to employ you.

#2—Being results-oriented

You’re probably heard the expression before that “You can be busy, but not really get anything done.” Being somebody who can get results is another way to improve your candidacy and increase the chances that you will be hired.

Organizations do not want to hire people who just work for work’s sake and do a lot of busy work. They want to hire people who know the results they need to get, put together a plan for getting those results, and then get them!

This is why the “bottom line” is the bottom line for your candidacy. Companies are not in the habit of hiring people just for the fun of it. They want value in return. They want results, they want productivity, and they want profitability.

You must be able to show that you can provide all of these things during the hiring process, especially during the interviewing stage of the process. If you can’t, then an employer will more than likely pass you by in its quest for what it’s seeking.

And that is truly the bottom line.

The Doepker Group has experience placing candidates in the Information Technology and Engineering industries, and we can place you, as well.

We invite you to search through our open positions. You can start the process by creating a profile and submitting your resume.