The end of June marks the end of formal schooling for most high school and university graduates. The three, five or seven years spent moulding personalities, and gathering experience needed to equip themselves for the real world will be unleashed on the workplace. However, students often do not have the requisite skills needed to survive in the working world. The Gleaner interviewed several business executives to get their views on how young persons should prepare themselves and what skills, requirements and traits they should possess to make it.
Be involved in the community
Joseph M. Matalon, chairman and CEO of the ICD Group Ltd., is a financial whiz, tax expert and the man responsible for re-engineering the ICD Group Ltd.
Mr. Matalon believes that a graduate from high school or university needs to exhibit several qualities to be ideal for his company. "We would look at their record at the institution they are coming from. We would not only look at their academic record but also their extra-curricular activities," he said. "We are also looking for self-starters, persons who are motivated among other things." Not only should these persons have leadership qualities but they should also be able to work in a team setting. He stressed that a person should not only have a good academic record but they should also be involved in their community. This, he said, was important in determining a good employee.
Looking for strong character
Rodney Davis is president and CEO of Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited.
Mr. Davis is no stranger to trying to shape oneself for the working world. An entrepre-neur at heart, he started his own barber and grooming company at the age of 23 and has seen it grow into the largest-ethnically owned grooming business in Canada. Mr. Davis says strong character is one of the first things he looks for in an employee. He says that while a well-organised résumé is essential, the individual should possess more than the required qualifications.
"When recruiting employees, the first thing I look for is character; a sense of pride in self - a quiet confidence," he said. "I try to hire individuals who are critical and practical thinkers with strong work ethics and openness to learning."
Attitude is key
Thalia Lyn is a restaurateur, operator of Jamaica's premier fast food chain Island Grill.
Ms. Lyn knows what it takes to be successful in the working world. This knowledge and experience have led her to position Island Grill into a competitive Jamaican brand with a strong loyalty among customers. She expects her nearly 500 employees and anyone hoping to join her company to be world-class so as to deliver worldclass service. She says that her company's recruitment procedure is quite simple and effective.
"Regardless of the level of experience and education, our primary recruitment focus is on the candidate's attitude (as) in the service business, attitude takes you all the way."
Preparation and integrity go a long way
Beverley Lopez is a businesswoman and president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica.
Ms. Lopez believes preparation is key when entering the job market. "The points I look for clearly are integrity, respecta-bility and adaptability. I also clearly look at how prepared they are," she said. She believes persons should ensure that they are well-rounded and able to work with peers in any setting. She, however, stressed that persons should seek to develop and maintain a sound character, as that is also key.
Be dedicated to your work
Harry Smith is chief customer relations director of Digicel.
MR. SMITH believes that young persons can offer a lot to an organisation but the right attitude is needed for one to make a sizeable contribution to that company. "Digicel prides itself on having a young work-force, but one who wants to be employed must have the passion to compete in the workplace," he said. "Depending on the field and the department, the person needs to obviously have the qualifications. However, persons need to possess integrity, an ability to work in teams and they must have a can-do attitude." He also said persons should be dedicated to their work and try to be excellent in everything they attempt.
He said that since the objective of most organisations such as his, is to please customers; the right attitude on the job is critical in being successful.
- Interviews by Mark Beckford, Gleaner Writer
