What Really Matters to Employers

Disclosure: Post sponsored by Spherion, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.

Yes again, I have another great research article and blog from Spherion’s Emerging Workforce Study findings.  Today’s blog post will be talking about how what matters to employers may not be what workers think.

About the 2015 Emerging Workforce Study

The Emerging Workforce Study by Spherion has examined the issues and trends impacting employment and the workplace for more than 18 years. The 2015 study examines several forward-looking trends and indicators for what the future workplace will become. As the perspectives, attitudes and expectations of the workforce continues to evolve, employers need to better understand workers for greater success.

What else should you know?

• More than 2,000 workers and 225 human resource managers were surveyed on their opinions and attitudes around critical workplace topics such as recruitment, employee engagement, job satisfaction, retention, employee advocacy, social media use, generational differences and work/life balance. Findings from this in-depth research reveal new trends, insights and impacts that are important for U.S. employers and their employees.
• The study was conducted by Harris Poll, a Nielson company, between March and April 2015.
• The survey offers great statistics and trend information for HR managers and businesses and points to an interesting, growing gap between employers’ and employees’ views.
• The survey also includes data that can impact HR strategies to increase engagement, productivity and retention, among other topics important to the employment life cycle and workplace.

Are Employer and Job Seeker Expectations in Line?

Job seekers often believe that their current employment status when they are applying for a new job will determine how an employer perceives them in the hiring process, but according to the findings of the survey, this actually matters to less than 10% of employers. As the war for skilled talent continues to intensify, job seekers need to better understand what employers are looking for and gain insights into how they make hiring decisions.

The findings:

• Influences in the hiring process for employers.
  • Interview performance- 33%
  • Cultural fit in the organization- 33%
  • Resume- 13%
  • Personality assessment results- 9%
  • Current employment status- 8%
  • Video resume- 1%

My Thoughts

Yes!  Absolutely the interview and cultural fit should be at the top of the list.  Skill set means nothing if you’re not going to be a positive impact on the culture.  I’ve seen this happen over and over in recruiting. Interview performance is also incredibly important and a great resume won’t go far if you can’t back it up in the interview.

Looking for more information on the 2015 Emerging Workforce Study findings?  Just click here for more.

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Spherion partnered with bloggers such as me for their Emerging Workforce Study program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any idea mentioned in these posts. Spherion believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Spherion’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.