People searching for a new job or to change careers this year should “think small” – as in targeting smaller businesses, according to Venturion, local talent management firm.

Several recent surveys have painted a brighter employment picture for small businesses. However, job-seekers should know which qualities and attributes to stress in interviews with smaller employers, according to Venturion.

“It is important to establish during interviews that you can make an impact on smaller employers and deliver results right away, particularly increases in revenue and profits. Chemistry with the boss and co-workers is going to be more critical since the workforce will be smaller and closer. Personal qualities such as a sense of humor and easy-going style will be beneficial to get across in interviews.In addition, candidates with experience at large companies must be convincing in the interview that they can adapt to a smaller environment,” said Don Huse, of Venturion.

Among the recent surveys forecasting a better hiring outlook for small businesses have been the following:

21% of small businesses that have 500 employees or fewer plan to hire full-time workers this year. Also, 26% of small businesses anticipate hiring contract or temporary workers, and 31% expect to transition some of them into full-time employees,.

23% of small-business owners with at least one worker other than themselves expect to hire employees in the first quarter this year, up from 18% in the 4th quarter last year, according to the Small Business Index.

54% of CEOs with small- to medium-sized businesses plan to add employees in the next 12 months.

Venturion offers this advice when seeking a job with smaller employers:

– Emphasize the immediate value you can bring. Achieving results quickly and making a swift impact on sales and profits are especially vital to small businesses. “Focus on what you can deliver right away and during your first three to six months on the job. Prepare a variety of examples from your career that fit their situation to demonstrate how you can solve current problems,” said Huse.

– Personally connect with the interviewer. Chemistry with your boss and co-workers is essential for a small business, where working relationships are closer.”Show that you are easy to get along with and the type of person people want to be around.

– Display qualities that can be a plus in the decision-making process, including humor in good taste, warmth, and understanding,” said Huse.

– Step up your face-to-face contact. Smaller companies will be less likely to advertise openings or post them on Internet job boards. These are the kinds of opportunities that normally surface at in-person meetings of networking, trade, and professional groups, and when volunteering with charitable, civic, and religious organizations.

– Acquire key referrals. Referrals play an especially central role in small businesses. “A good referral from a valued employee or someone close to the owner or manager will go a long way. Scour your networking contacts and use social media websites such as LinkedIn and Facebook to obtain a referral or two,” said Huse.

– Be receptive to contract or temporary work. If a potential employer says they don’t have a position at present, find out what they do need to get done – and negotiate to do that for them. Many employers are adding contract or project workers before deciding to hire full-time staff. You may be able to transition this into a full-time job if you achieve superior results.

– Prepare to overcome objections that you are over-qualified and/or will leave for a better job later. Smaller businesses may be more sensitive that you have held higher positions with larger companies and earned greater compensation than they are able to pay. “Address interviewers’ concerns you may leave for a better job by countering that your experience will solve problemsand create solutions that will help increase revenue and salaries,” said Huse.

– If you have worked for a large employer before, demonstrate that you have the drive, flexibility,and initiative to work for a smaller company. Confirm that your past experience will enable you to bring all your skills forward with a focus on results.

– Show interest and excitement in the opportunity. “Smaller companies want people who are enthusiastic about working with them, and can motivate and inspire co-workers and direct reports. Communicate this in a variety of ways and express your enthusiasm for hitting the ground running,” added Huse.

While many people make resolutions for the new year, one group that doesn’t do this enough is bosses, according to Venturion, a coaching and leadership development and consulting firm.

With the job market picking up, bosses may want to start making some resolutions to retain talented workers. “Employees make career-related resolutions much more often than bosses. However, the top resolution that workers make each year is to find a new job,” said Don Huse, of Venturion.

“If more managers resolved to develop their employees’ leadership skills, invite their input, demonstrate continued interest in their careers and recognize their contributions, fewer workers would be determining to find new jobs each year,” added Huse.

Retaining talented employees has become a higher priority in an improving job market. 87% of employers are worried about losing key employees, with 58% moderately concerned and 29% very concerned, according to a survey by OI Partners.

To help retain talent, 4 out of 10 companies are providing coaching to executives and managers to invest in their careers and ensure they are equipped to develop critical skills in their subordinates, according to the survey.

Following are some of the top resolutions bosses can make to help retain talent.

Coach workers in how to become more influential and persuasive. Explain the implications of their actions and decisions on internal politics and help them become savvier. Provide training and guidance in how to craft their messages to meet the needs of others. “Managers are too often frustrated by employees’ inability to work effectively through others. Teach them how to win over people in appropriate ways,” said Huse.

Develop employees’ leadership skills. Use challenging “stretch assignments” that motivate workers, require them to learn new skills and build coalitions. “Look for opportunities where members of your team can step into leadership roles. That may mean you have to be in the background more and become comfortable with sharing the spotlight,” said Huse.

Improve your feedback and increase their accountability. Most managers are inconsistent in communicating expectations and holding people accountable “Be clear about your expectations and give timely feedback to your team when they do a good job or miss the mark,” according to Huse.

Tap into employees’ wealth of knowledge and experience. Encourage employees at all levels to suggest, create and communicate new ideas based on the direct experience of those on the line. Personally ask people for their input to get the best recommendations.

Counsel survivors of layoffs and demonstrate continued interest in their careers. Survivors of layoffs are frequently stressed by the extra work and worried about whether they, too, might lose their jobs. “Reassure remaining employees that they are appreciated for the additional work they’re doing. Increase the frequency of discussions about their careers and one-on-one meetings with their managers,” said Huse.

Recognize and reward contributions. Managers should be certain they recognize employee contributions, both big and small. “A compliment from the boss can be as effective as a monetary reward. Many employees feel that their managers do not spend enough time thanking them for a job well done but are too quick to criticize them for making mistakes,” said Huse.

Whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, aiming to get a raise or promotion—or are worried about just hanging on to your present employment—you need to demonstrate that you have some or all of the qualities and characteristics employers are seeking.

Most people make some type of career-related resolutions at the start of the year without paying much attention to the qualities employers are looking for and ways they can differentiate themselves from job-seekers and co-workers, according to Venturion, a leading coaching and leadership development/consulting firm.

“Career-related resolutions tend to focus on what employees and job-seekers want, rather than the skills that employers are demanding today,” said Don Huse, President of Venturion “People will be more successful in their jobs and job searches by validating that they are the best fit.”

1. Personal and professional growth. “Employers are seeking workers who have made a commitment to continuous learning. Companies want to hire and have on board employees who have tomorrow’s knowledge today. Learning can include courses you are taking and degrees you are pursuing, participating in webinars, attending technology expos and trade shows and online software courses. Relate what you are learning to how this can make you a better employee or a great hire,” said Huse.

2. Value proposition to employer. Companies want to know how, specifically, can you or are you adding value to them. Be sure you have adapted your message to your employer or the company you are targeting regarding your value by tying it into the current goals and mission of the organization. “Too many people keep ‘selling’ their skills to employers in an outdated framework. Be sure your value is considered current and relevant to the employer,” said Huse.

3. Outstanding communications skills: Employers are becoming more dissatisfied with the communications skills of their employees and job candidates and are placing a higher priority on both written and verbal skills. “With Tweets, texts, blogs, and PowerPoint proliferating, fewer employees and job applicants are good writers. Some employers are amazed that employees cannot write a coherent report or even a complete sentence. Don’t only sharpen your presentation skills, but improve your writing, too,” said Huse.

4. Teamwork. Being a team player is the number one quality employers said they are looking for in applicants and workers in a Venturion survey. With workforces still lean, 7 out of 10 employers said being able to accomplish goals with others is the most important quality they desire. “It is key that you be viewed as a collaborative problem solver, so be sure to volunteer to be part of cross-functional task forces,” said Huse.

5. Excitement and enthusiasm. Companies want people who are enthusiastic and excited about working with them and doing their jobs. “Be able to articulate what about the company’s product or service inspires you and how you can demonstrate that in your daily work,” said Huse.

6. Flexibility. When discussing the goals for the coming year with your manager, look for opportunities for cross-training to provide coverage in your department during vacation, sick leaves, etc. Employers appreciate workers who keep focused on meeting the organization’s goals, especially when resources are stretched.

7. Anticipation. Being able to anticipate possible needs or problems is highly valued. “Companies reward people who see that there will be a resource gap, bring it to management’s attention and propose some possible solutions. If you are interviewing for a position, share a story about a time that you did this in your career or explain how you would do this if hired,” said Huse.

8. Persuasiveness. Ability to win over others, including customers and colleagues, is in demand. Persuasive employees know how to craft their messages to meet others’ needs and, at the same time, accomplish their objectives. Since most work today is accomplished by obtaining information and support from peers in other departments, the ability to influence and persuade is a critical skill.

9. Leadership. With most companies developing their future leaders from within their organizations, rather than recruiting from outside, they are looking for workers with high leadership potential. “Future leaders are those who take initiative, don’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and find ways to be positive even in challenging situations. Management wants to hear potential leaders say how things can be done, and how problems can be solved, not why things won’t work,” said Huse.

10. Authenticity. While it is important to adapt to an organization’s culture, it is also essential to demonstrate who you are and what makes you unique as a person and employee. Be clear about what your special talents, skills, and contributions are and how you believe those things make you more effective.

Job-hunting during the holiday season is a great way to gain a competitive advantage over those taking a break and putting their searches on hold until next year, according to Venturion, a global coaching and leadership development and consulting firm.

The holiday season is a prime time to search for and network your way to a job or new career. Employers continue to interview and hire during the holidays. Among the benefits of persevering with your search are: less competition, newly budgeted positions that need to be filled, holiday parties and events that can be used as networking opportunities, and people in an overall more relaxed and celebratory mood.

“Rather than slowing down, the holidays are a great time to step up your job search. December and January are among the busiest months for hiring, and a number of these new hires were interviewed during the holidays,” said Don Huse, President of Venturion.

Following are some of the benefits of continuing your job search during the holidays and ways to take maximum advantage:

— Less competition: “There is generally less competition for roughly the same number of jobs. So, a higher percentage of job-seekers may find positions with fewer people actively looking,” said Huse.

— Better access to decision-makers: It may be easier to connect with decision-makers during the holidays. They may have less hectic schedules and even answer their own phones due to vacationing secretaries and receptionists.

— Newly created openings: “Jobs posted during the holidays may be urgent and need to be filled quickly. There also may be positions that have just been budgeted for the upcoming calendar year and have not been extensively posted or advertised yet,” said Huse.

— Jump-start the new year: Managers with fresh goals for the new year want talented people on board in early January to help them achieve their objectives and targets.

— Holiday parties & events: Holiday parties and events at schools, community, religious, and other groups present opportunities to network. “You can mention that you are exploring career options and would like to get their advice. But don’t pull out you resume at a holiday party. Instead, try to arrange a follow-up meeting or conversation, and reference what you discussed at the event,” said Huse.

— Holiday greeting cards: Send personalized holiday greeting cards to potential employers you have recently interviewed with and networking contacts. Fill them in on any change in your status.

— Social networking groups: Use the holidays to participate in conversations or in discussion groups on LinkedIn as well as expand your online network. Offer to give recommendations and ask your connections if they need an introduction to any of your contacts.

— Reconnect: The holidays are a good time to reconnect with former co-workers, bosses, and friends in personal meetings or via personal cards and notes with an updated resume.

With Christmas sales and decorations rolling out before even Halloween, people may be wise to follow the lead of retailers and conduct a career check-up now instead of waiting for around New Year’s, according to Venturion.

Besides getting a jump on those waiting to make job-related resolutions for the new year, there is another important reason for making an early start – the upcoming election.

“Many employers are waiting for the results of the election to decide which direction their companies will go – expand, contract, or stay the same. For workers, that means their employer and others may be hiring and promoting, cutting back and laying off, or remaining flat. This may present opportunities for career advancement and getting a new job, or added pressure to hold on to a current job,” said Don Huse, President of Venturion in San Antonio, a leading coaching and leadership development/consulting firm.

“Those who wait until the end of the year to examine their careers and performance may miss out on post-election prospects or may even be out of a job by then without a plan,” added Huse.

Although most people make some type of job-related New Year’s resolutions, only about one in four conducts a thorough career check-up each year, according to Venturion career consultants.

Venturion recommends including the following elements in a career check-up:

1. Assess the viability of your current job. “Your assessment should include business-related and personal performance evaluations. How secure do you feel in your job? Will there be opportunities for growth or do you anticipate cutbacks? How are your own job performance and relationships with your boss and colleagues?

“If you are happy with your current employment, it is still worth assessing your skills and the needs of the company. Find ways to be proactive and look for areas you can contribute so you can raise your visibility and help your company. As things improve, you may be increasing your chances for a promotion and greater responsibility. However, you may have to escalate a job search if your security is low or make urgent adjustments if your performance has been lacking,” said Huse.

2. Gauge your own marketability. “What is the demand for your skills and how are industries and job functions in which you have experience performing in this economy? Study job postings for occupations in which you already have experience to determine what the marketplace is for your talents,” added Huse.

3. Evaluate your employment brand and skills portfolio. “Are you up to date on the latest technology and new developments in your field? Have you strengthened your employment brand and value proposition – the skills and accomplishments that differentiate you from others and add value to employers? Those with the best employment brands and skills portfolios will be most in demand,” said Huse.

4. Examine your personal preferences. “Are you happy in your job and with working for your employer? Do you like your line of work or want to change fields? Do you want to cut back to part-time, expand to full-time, or go back to school to learn another field or get an advanced degree?,” asked Huse.

5. Build and update your professional network. “About 7 out of 10 people get their next jobs through networking, and many job openings are not posted or advertised and have to be uncovered through personal contacts. Continually expand and target your career network and keep them updated on any developments or changes in your employment. Serve as a resource to your networking contacts, too, by exchanging job leads and information and making referrals and endorsements,” said Huse.

6. Expand your social media presence. “Many employers are now recruiting directly from social networks such as LinkedIn, so it’s vital that you amplify your online presence. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is essentially your resume and is continually updated. Showcase yourself as an expert in your field with an impactful headline and description and searchable key words that reveal the breadth and depth of your experience and skills. Develop a Facebook page devoted to your career and reach out to networking contacts via Facebook and Twitter,” added Huse.

How can employers develop the top qualities they want most in their workers?

Venturion canvassed its consultants to formulate 37 specific strategies employers can use to develop desired competencies in workers. The recommended approaches are in response to inquiries received after uncovering the Top 8 Qualities Employers Desire in Workers in a survey the firm conducted earlier this year.

According to that survey, the top 8 qualities employers most want in workers are:

1. Being a team player (selected by 71% of surveyed companies)
2. Satisfy customers/clients (chosen by 68%)
3. Motivate and engage others (65%)
4. Achieve their most important objectives (62%)
5. Work smart (60%)
6. Work hard (57%)
7. Add value (52%)
8. Contribute to improving the bottom line (48%)

“The surest way to build these qualities is to establish a culture that supports them and provide the resources to grow and develop them. Demonstrate that these qualities are valued. Include them in performance reviews and consideration for raises and promotions – and recognize and reward employees who exemplify them,” said Don Huse, Managing Partner of Venturion, a leading global coaching and leadership development/consulting firm.

“In addition, offer managers behavioral interview training so they will have the skills to select people with the right characteristics that fit the organization and are essential to its success,” Huse added.

Venturion recommends the following ways to develop the desired qualities in workers.

Quality #1: Being A Team Player – Place greater importance on achieving team outcomes. “Look for ways to partner employees on projects and concentrate on assembling compatible teams. Rate how well each employee works in teams as  part of their performance reviews,” said Huse.

Quality #2: Satisfy Customers/Clients – Have another employee shadow each worker when they meet with customers or handle client relations. “Share stories of employees’ outstanding customer service, acknowledge and discuss the successes. Feature stories in company publications and newsletters. Ask workers to write brief summaries after successes happen so the steps that were taken can be captured,” Huse added.

Quality #3: Motivate & Engage Others  – Encourage employees to engage others in a project or assignment. “Request examples from workers of times they were motivated and/or engaged by others. Assign employees to teams and direct them to measure how well they keep each other motivated,” Huse stated.

Quality #4: Achieve Critical Objectives – “Managers must be clear and follow up with objectives and employees need to regularly check in to confirm what they are since organizational needs – and individual objectives – can change quickly. Conduct weekly roundtables to lay out the top objectives and reinforce them throughout the week via email,” Huse said.

Quality #5: Work Smart – Discuss the circumstances when working smart is needed and working hard is the desired approach. “Working smart means you’re more likely to reach your goals. You can start working smart by enlisting the help of others, taking care of the most important things first, and stop multi-tasking,” said Huse.

Quality #6: Work Hard – Communicate that the organization will not tolerate poor and marginal performers. “Don’t give employees a raise or recognition simply because they put in extra hours unless the outcome is worthy of being rewarded. Today, working hard is about taking risks and doing things others would rather not do,” said Huse.

Quality #7: Add Value – Encourage employees to leave their usual comfort zones and help resolve problems that may be outside of their job descriptions.  Adopt an “open idea” policy that there are no bad ideas and no one will be criticized. Schedule regular “brainstorming” sessions.

Quality #8: Contribute To Bottom Line – Many employers do not share the bottom line with employees and they remain unaware of what it is. By disclosing some general financial information, workers will get a better picture of what is going on and how they may have an impact on it.

“When employers are deciding who has a future in their organization, the highly motivated results oriented people are in. Complainers are generally out,” Huse adds.

The 8 Qualities survey was conducted in April and received responses from 174 employers.

Even though the U.S. economy has added an average of about 180,000 jobs per month for the past two years, the unemployment rate rose in January. One reason the unemployment rate has been going up or remained unchanged, despite more jobs being created, is because many job-seekers are not finding work in their careers and do not know how to properly switch fields, according to Venturion.

“One of the factors behind the unemployment rate going up to 7.9% is that more people were looking for work. However, since many were not able to find positions in their usual careers, they remain unemployed,” said Don Huse, President of Venturion in San Antonio, a leading coaching and leadership development/consulting firm.

Instead of holding out for an exact fit, job-seekers and those looking to start a new career should use the skills and experience they already have and transfer that to another career, Huse added.

Venturion offers these tips for transferring your skills and experience to another or second career:

1. Identify the skills you already have. Think of your career as a compilation of skills and competencies in which you have expertise and which may be attractive to another employer. Break these down into specific individual skills – administrative, marketing, sales, information technology, and customer relations, for example. If possible, use career assessments to best identify your competencies and interests.

2. Put the highest emphasis on skills in which you excel. “Employers are looking for people who stand out in their skill areas and who have a record of achievement and making a difference when using them. Focus on the things in which you excel and who would benefit from you doing it for them,” said Huse.

3. Concentrate on those skills in which you have quantifiable achievements and success stories to tell potential employers. You need to reassure the hiring person that you can readily transfer your skills to the new position and you have a track record in these areas and have been able to make a difference when using them. You will need a highly focused resume that will highlight your transferrable skills and achievements for your new career direction.

4. Determine the current demand for these skills. Follow the monthly job reports that the federal government issues for the country and your state to discover which careers are creating the most jobs and where demand for your skills would be greatest. “Review major job boards, compile a list of jobs you like, and review job by job which deliverables they are looking for that you already have. Note which requirements predominate and make sure those terms show up on your resume and cover letter,” said Huse.

5. Transfer your skills to another industry. One of the easiest ways to change careers is to remain in the same function, or work you perform, but switch the industry in which you do it. It is particularly important for those in industries that have been contracting, such as real estate and manufacturing, to switch to industries that are expanding such as health care, construction, hospitality and tourism, education, information technology, insurance, retail and banking. “Often, people do not know which industries to target other than their own and how to effectively position themselves as viable candidates. Also, search in industries that are closely related to the ones where you have the most experience, such as all related financial services industries, including brokerage firms, credit unions, banks, mortgage companies, and financial planning,” said Huse.

6. Learn the language of your new second career. You need to learn the terms and trends of your new career. Read trade-related publications, websites, and blogs to learn to “talk the talk.”

7. Talk with others about your new career. Form your own personal board of directors with family, friends, co-workers, and others who will provide support, honest feedback, and strategies to move forward and vital information. Seek out a professional career coach who can serve as your mentor and guide you through these volatile times. A career coach will also assist you with the right format for your new resume. Inform your career network that you are looking at opportunities in other fields and you are interested in learning more about these areas. Find out if they know anyone in the new careers and could arrange a meeting or provide referrals.

8. Consider acquiring the necessary education and training. This is especially important when the transferability of your skills might be in question. Explore making a career change where training is provided. If it’s a new field to you, volunteer at an organization that does what you think you would like to do. Find out if it’s for you and start to gain practical experience in that field,” added Huse.