GMAT : Analysis of An IssuePrevious Page
An Issue
48. In matching job candidates with job openings, managers must consider not only such variables as previous work experience and educational background but also personality traits and work habits which are more difficult to judge.
Question
What do you consider essential in an employee or colleague? Explain, using reasons and / or examples from your work or work like experiences or from your observations of others.
Analysis
In the hiring process, it is more difficult to assess personality and work habits than to determine work experience and educational background. Even so, it is important to try and judge the less quantifiable characteristics of a prospective colleague or employee-such as honesty, reliability, creativity, self-motivation and the capacity to get along and work well with others. If it doesn't seem obvious that these are important qualities in a co-worker, then consider the alternatives.
First of all, dishonest or unreliable workers harm an organization in many ways. Dishonest employees impose costs on a company whether they steal on the grand or small scale. Just taking a few days of unwarranted sick leave here and there can add up to significant lost productivity. And lying about progress on a project can result in missed deadlines and even lost contracts. Unreliability works the same way. If an employee cannot meet deadlines or fails to appear at important meetings, the organization will suffer accordingly.
In addition, co-workers who lack motivation or creativity take some of the life out of an organization. To the extent that employees simply plug along, the company will be less productive. In contrast, employees who have imagination and the motivation to implement ideas are productive and can spark those around them to greater achievement.
Finally, employees who cannot get along with or work well with others can as well be detrimental to the organization. The mere presence of a troublemaker is disruptive. Moreover, the time such people spend on petty disagreements is time away from getting the job done successfully. In addition, those who cannot smoothly coordinate their efforts with others will end up making things more difficult for everyone else.
In conclusion, it may not be easy to judge the personality traits and work habits of prospective employees, but it certainly is worth the effort to try. Having co-workers who are honest, reliable, creative, self-motivated, compatible with one another and good team players will greatly enhance everyone's work life and benefit an organization in the most significant way with greater productivity.
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