(Book E6) The Job Hunt College: What Does The Employer Want?

‘Career development book for health professionals’

Now that we know what employers do not want or need, I believe we can move into what employers really want. Behind the mind of every employer are three things; experience, cheap but competent labour and an extra competency.

1. Experience

I used to get furious when I see job vacancy offers that require some years of experience till one day; one administrator sat me down and hit the nail right into head.

‘Hey man, no one is ready to employ a fresh graduate who has no work experience; may be the government does but not the private man.’

The private man always has profit on his mind and so, he does not make friends with anyone or anything which is likely to disrupt the profit chain. A fresh graduate is one, because he needs to use his resources to retrain, mentor and feed him in order for him to live up to expectations.

A colleague told me an experience he had with a hospital administrator of a very big private hospital in Kumasi. Barely a week to finish his internship as a professional nurse, he delivered an application letter to the hospital administrator. This is the same hospital he did his internship so they knew his competencies very well. Most of the superiors he worked with recommended him to the administrator, so it was based on these recommendations that he tendered in a formal application.

As he narrated to me, this middle-aged man took his letter, leaned back in his sofa and gently told him

“Listowel, I will file your application but let me confide in you as a son, here we look for experience.” “You can start with the smaller hospitals elsewhere.” He added.

Though the administrator knew my colleague and knew what he could bring on board when he employs him, he couldn’t employ him because his level of experience was too low to meet his standards.

Another friend of mine told me how one day, after a human resource manager of a hospital read through his CV, politely asked him “So what are you bringing on board.” Just as he was about to answer the question, he added, “You’ve no working experience”

My sister, no employer is ready for your mess, they want your best. They no longer buy raw materials to refine into finished products. That is too costly! They need all-ready-made (refined product). And the truth is that, others are refining themselves to meet the employer’s standards so your raw material does not matter anymore.

2. Cheap But Competent Labour

Labour is the main fuel of every organization but no one wants to pay more for labour. At the back of every employer’s mind is how they can execute tasks with the lowest cost. So as you sit behind the interview table, one thing that runs through his mind is how he is going to get all those experience and qualifications at the minimum cost possible.

Even the government does. Have you asked yourself why the government is employing more auxiliary nurses (health assistant) than professional nurses even though WHO’s standard ratio for professional nurses to auxiliary nurses is 60% to 40%.

One day, during an interview session for the position of a nurse tutor, I was asked the amount I will charge for my services. I confidently mentioned the same figure individuals having the same qualification and doing the same work collects. The interviewer pleaded for reduction but I was unwilling to reduce my charge because I felt cheated. I left the interview desk with a price a little below what I proposed.

The interviewer told me I was the best person for the job because I had some years of JHS teaching experience but I was never called till today. The few times I went there, the secretary did not allow me to see the human resource manager because she has been ordered to do so.

That was a clear opportunity I missed. I had the qualification and I priced myself against those with the same qualification but I forgot that those I compared myself to, had much experience than I do. Pricing at the interview table can be dire; it can either give you a job or take away a job from you.

Why do you think that in Ghana, Health carer’s are hot cake than professional diploma nurses and why do you think diploma nurses are also hot cake than professional degree nurses? It all boils down to one thing; the employer has got profit on his mind.

1. An Extra Competency

It’s so amazing how an extra certificate or competency outside but relevant to your field can facilitate your employment. I used not to believe in short courses till I completed school when I realised that I’ve a bunch of opportunities I’ve missed.

In recent times of hospital computerisation, a health professional with certificate in Information & Communication Technology will have an advantage over health professional without one. University of Ghana has started certificate in ICT course for all its students and this really gives them an added advantage over colleagues from other tertiary institutions.

However, despite its immense benefit, especially on the job search market, many students fail to pursue this course claiming they have knowledge in what is being taught. Forgetting that; before they are granted an interview, it’s their papers that speak first. You may not be there to tell the employer you have skills in this or that, so it’s good to back all your relevant skills with a certificate.

A very good friend of mine told me that he sent an application with a colleague to the same hospital on the same day. They both had the same qualification: Registered General Nurse with his colleague having an academic qualification in Paediatrics Nursing attached. However, he wasn’t granted an interview but the other colleague was granted an interview. It was later that his colleague came to announce to him that, the people thought he was a professional paediatric nurse that is why they picked him.

Employers will always hire multi-faceted professionals or professionals with specializations who will be able to execute different task if the need be. They will employ a doctor who will be able to operate an ultrasound scan machine if the need be in emergency situations or a nurse who can interpret a ECG results over those who cannot, if the need be.