Don’t Ask What Your Employer Can Do For You, But What You Can Do For Your Employer

This blog is based primarily on anecdotal evidence gained from my interactions with thousands of fresh graduates over a number of years, and I hope it will provide a little insight from the employer’s perspective that may be useful in your own job search. I know in this day and age, getting feedback isn’t always easy!

Every graduate starts working life with no experience and at some point we all take the jump from the protective world of university into professional life. The major shift is obviously your relationship with the institution.

One of the major changes in moving to work is suddenly it’s not quite so much about what your university can do for you (where you are technically the customer!), but in the world of work it’s about what you can do for your employer!

Most companies will offer you great salaries, benefits, commissions and promotion in return for your hard work, but all commercial companies need to make money to exist and whatever your role within a business you will be contributing to that in some form.

This is stating the blindingly obvious but it is worth a little time to acknowledge or contemplate the differences as they affect everything from your career direction to the impression you make on potential employers. Having a commercial understanding of your employers business needs is a key component to being a valued asset. The old adage of “you don’t get something for nothing” has never rung truer than in today’s world economy regardless of the role that you play in your company’s day to day operation.

Take an active interest in how your current or future employers business works, and you will in turn appreciate what part you do or can, play in building success for the company and a career for yourself!

Written by: Dan Stargatt – http://www.project-resource.co.uk/