NJ ChamberEdge
NJ ChamberEdge Sponsor
Business Insights & Inspiration
Business Insights & Inspiration
NJ ChamberEdge Sponsor

The Edge for September 2019

An Exclusive Article for NJ ChamberEdge

Job Candidates

We asked New Jersey Chamber of Commerce members to talk about the unique qualities they look for in job candidates. The answers included a willingness to learn, the ability to be persistent in a professional manner and the confidence to take the reins of a project and see it through. Read more below.

 

Russell BurtLook for a Student of the Industry

I’m looking for a job candidate with a willingness to learn, to become better at the job. They must be a student of the industry because learning never stops. They also need a willingness to get out of their comfort zone. The top thing that stops someone from accomplishing goals is fear – worrying about not being able to do something that they think they can’t do. A good candidate is eager to go for it, and to learn as much from their mistakes as they do from their accomplishments.

– Russell Burt, Special Projects Coordinator, AFLAC

 

John BorgeseThey Must Be Persistent, Authentic

Someone who is persistent in a professional manner by getting out there and listening to people. I’m also seeking authenticity so when you promote the organization, you do it in a genuine way. And if you say you are going to follow-up, you better follow-up. Do what you say you are going to do.

– John Borgese, Director, Alumni Workplace Engagement, Rutgers University Foundation

 

Orville MoralesDo They Possess the Confidence to Make Things Happen?

We look for people who can work on a team, accept feedback and who have the confidence to not only take on a project, but push it to make sure it comes to pass. We seek employees who are assertive and work hard to make things happen. We ask question like, What did you accomplish in your last job? How did you pursue it? How did you make it happen? How did you work as a team to make it happen?

– Orville Morales, Community Campaign Manager, The Public Good Projects

 

Responses for this article were edited for space and clarity.

Search the Edge Archive

Newsmakers

The FDA has accepted Novo Nordisk's marketing application for an oral version of its weight-loss drug Wegovy and will decide in the fourth quarter, the Danish drugmaker said. The company's experimental once-daily version would become the first oral GLP-1 for chronic weight management, if approved.


Cari Gallman Bristol Myers SquibbBristol Myers Squibb announced appointment of Cari Gallman to serve as executive vice president, general counsel and chief policy officer. She succeeds Sandra "Sandy" Leung, who is retiring after a 33-year career at the company. Gallman has held leadership positions at Bristol Myers Squibb for 10 years, most recently serving as executive vice president, corporate affairs.


RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute on May 13 will unveil New Jersey’s first and only freestanding, fully comprehensive cancer hospital – the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center – on May 13. The 12-story, 520,000-square-foot facility in New Brunswick costs an estimated $750 million.


Kevin Gibala Chair Inspira Health Foundation BoardKevin R. Gibala, senior vice president and regional vice president at TD Bank, will become chair of the Inspira Health Foundation Board of Trustees after serving as vice chair in 2024, Inspira Health announced.


Fortune magazine named Merck, Hackensack Meridian Health and Atlantic Health System among the country’s 100 best companies to work for in its latest such list, released April 2. The 100 Best Companies to Work For list honors businesses that build a high-trust workplace environment and is based on employee surveys.


During the Masters Tournament, Bank of America, a sponsor of the event, announced the launch of 'Golf with Us.' The program offers youth golfers the opportunity to play rounds for $5 or less. The announcement comes on the heels of a multiyear partnership BofA announced with 'Youth on Course.' The nonprofit provides kids 18 and under access to opportunities through golf. As part of that agreement, BofA is helping to fund widespread expansion of municipal courses that participate in the program. Currently the roster includes more than 2,000 locations nationwide.


The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants awarded $190,000 in scholarships to 40 college and college-bound students.


South Jersey Industries has donated $46,000 to the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the American Red Cross, the company announced. The gift includes $23,000 in pledges from SJI employees as part of the company’s annual giving campaign, matched dollar-for-dollar by SJI. In total, this year’s campaign raised $350,000 for various organizations – a new record for the company.


Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP has named Barbara J. Koonz its new managing partner. Koonz, who joined the firm in 2019, becomes the fourth managing partner in the firm’s more than 100-year history. A seasoned environmental and energy attorney, she has played a key role in shaping the firm’s strategic direction in recent years.


The law firm Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis announced the passing on April 13 of partner Wendell A. Smith. Smith, 93, became a partner in the firm in 1968. He practiced real estate law for over 50 years and was widely recognized as one of New Jersey’s preeminent authorities on condominium and community association law.


Thomas Edison State University is offering new, online, nine-week certificate programs designed to provide practical training for people interested in cannabis cultivation, retail and product development.