SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA JOB MARKET : PART ONE: GETTING AHEAD : WHAT EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR

What do employers want when they’re hiring and promoting workers? Technical competence, of course, but that’s not the whole story. Here are the criteria used at six large employers in Southern California.

WALT DISNEY CO.

Burbank-based entertainment company

Curtis Kishi, manager of employment and professional staffing

“We want people who can take an innovative approach to traditional business situations and problems, and we try to find these people by asking a variety of hypothetical questions in our interviews. We’re also looking for analytical skills and the ability to present clear solutions to various business situations. Our employees should also be familiar with children’s products, possess a feel for the social significance of Mickey and understand that the Disney company stands for family entertainment.

“When we promote people, we are looking for people who have a good sense of where our business should be heading and how they can help it get there. Our managers should also have the ability to handle budgets, costs and other administrative responsibilities. Communication skills, particularly when it comes to motivating workers and conveying ideas and concepts, are also very important.”

FLUOR CORP.

Irvine-based engineering and construction firm

Karen Vari, manager of human resources

“Beyond the appropriate skills and background for the particular job, we are looking for strong communication skills, a willingness to do the work required by the job, an ability to be a team player and take an innovative and creative approach to the job. We like to hire what we call ‘committed champions,’ a term that means internally motivated people who are willing to take some risks. We also look for people who are flexible and can perform many tasks. Because we are a worldwide organization and globalization is an increasingly important part of business, we also look for our employees to be fairly mobile and comfortable with change. . . .

“We prefer to promote from within, and take outside hires for the management level only when an internal candidate is not available. The criteria for winning a promotion are basically the same as for getting hired here. However, managers should have the ability to get along with all sorts of people.”

FIRST INTERSTATE BANK

Los Angeles-based bank

Shirley Perkins, senior vice president

“Aside from the purely technical skills which vary from job to job, we look for people with good interpersonal skills. We want people who are sales oriented, people who are comfortable selling themselves, selling the corporation and selling the products of the corporation. This means we need people who are self-confident, have the ability to communicate and are able to convey their enthusiasm for their job and the products they are selling.

“When we promote, we look for self-confidence, the ability to communicate well, enthusiasm and a broad base of knowledge about our operations.”

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS CO.

Los Angeles-based natural gas supplier

Joyce Ridley, employment manager

“In new employees we look for an ability to take initiative in whatever situation is presented. Our employees should also have a positive attitude and a flexibility in their attitudes and approaches. We also want people with a strong work ethic and a commitment to doing a good job. . . . We are also looking for females to perform jobs that have traditionally been filled by males.

“When we promote we look at a person’s initiative, technical skills and aptitude. But we also want to see strong written and oral communication skills and an ability to interact effectively with people. Being able to get the job done through other people and to build team camaraderie are very important to a manager.”

HUGHES AIRCRAFT CO.

Westchester-based defense contractor

Robert Williams, director of employee research, education and development

“At the entry level we look for basic training and background. We want experienced people, even in new college graduates. Much of the decision as to whether we hire someone depends on how he or she relates to the recruiter. I guess you would call it ‘chemistry.’ Basically, we want someone who is interested in what we have to offer and wants to work for and with us.

“The skills we’re looking for when we promote someone depends on the level of management we’re recruiting for. If it’s a fairly low level of management then we’re emphasizing technical skills because this person will be supervising workers in a fairly hands-on way. In middle management, we are looking for strong interpersonal skills, because these people are supervising the hands-on managers and communicating the results upward in the management chain. At the highest level of management, we look for people who have strong conceptual skills and who are adept at long-range planning and goal setting.”

AST RESEARCH INC.

Irvine-based computer maker

Howard Derman, director of human resources

“We like to see people with personal accomplishments and achievements. We want people with creativity and flexibility in their style and approach to the job. It’s nice to have people who are book smart, but it’s better to have people who have flexibility and creativity to apply their knowledge in a common-sense kind of way. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t have this. We also look for the personal chemistry between the corporation and the employee. We have to know if the style and aspirations of the applicant match the culture of the company, because if they don’t the employee won’t be happy.

“In promoting our employees, we look to their past accomplishments on the job, as well as their instincts when thrown into new situations. We want people who are results oriented. We also want team players. If they’re just out for themselves, we’re not interested because the higher you go in the organization, the more of a company person you need to be.”