As you prepare to interview these potential employees, it is important to look beyond the technical skills which are only part of the picture when it comes to finding the right person for the job. In fact, soft skills are just as important as hard skills when it comes to evaluating candidates for a job.
Businesses should work towards making good hiring decisions to avoid a loss when it comes to the training of new hires. There are certain qualities companies look for when hiring new employees. In order to hire the right person for the job, some of the qualities to look out for include:
Positive attitude
Many employers miss clues during the interview that a job candidate will eventually fail as an employee. Most new employees don’t fail because of lack of skill. Rather, he says they fail because their personalities and their attitudes are not a good match for the organization. Basically, someone’s attitude towards work will determine if they will be successful at it or not.
Long Term Potential
Hiring for a particular role over and over again can be expensive given the investment in training new employees, and businesses do not want to hire someone who does not have potential as a long-term hire. Look for traits of commitment and longevity in an candidate’s resume.
Ability to produce results
When interviewing candidates, prompt them to speak in detail about their past. Supporting a growth strategy in your organization is much smoother when new hires come in with proven track records of producing solid results. Allow new hires to boast about previous successes, and ask for details into how they reached various career goals. Hiring managers should look for enthusiastic candidates eager to push the envelope and possess personal drive toward future achievements.
Enthusiasm and Passion
Look for candidates who are enthusiastic and passionate about what they do. If they are not passionate about their career, they may not achieve much. People who love the work they do often stay at companies longer than people who work for the sake of the paycheck. Enthusiasm is a great trait to possess for a new employee.
Acquiring skills is not enough. Using them are more important. Request your potential new hires to complete a task or work on a project to better illustrate their skill set. Find out if a candidate is self-motivated, excited to be an active participant in company efforts, and willing to put in the extra effort to achieve success in the business. Candidates who keep their composure while simultaneously showcasing their problem-solving skills are often better prepared to work well under pressure and responsibility that might come along with the job.
Integrity
Most companies don’t joke with ethics and integrity. In fact, the best employees are ones who are honest and upfront in all aspects of their employment. But how can you assess your applicant’s integrity? Here are some suggested interview questions:
- When last was your integrity challenged at work. How did you handle it?
- What would you do if an employer asked you to do something unethical?
- Have you ever experienced a job setback or loss because you did the right thing?
- Are there any work situations when honesty could be inappropriate?
Their honest answers will tell you the level of integrity they have.
Creativity
Being able to think creatively is indeed a highly-valued soft skill in today’s job market. Managers are looking for versatile team members who can apply their skills to a variety of different situations and can solve unexpected problems that come up with ease and confidence. Ask the candidates to share a time they had to solve a tough problem at work. Ask for as much detail as possible, including the deadlines and the budget for the project.
Most times, your employees will have to work with coworkers on a project. Even if a job requires most tasks to be completed alone, there will be times when employees will have to work together. Make sure the candidate is a team player by asking potential hires about how well they work as a team and what type of work environment they prefer. Some employers may even bring applicants in for a group interview to see how well they interact with a number of people already on staff.
Intelligence.
Broadly-speaking, intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. Another more flexible definition is: “Intelligence is what you do when you don’t know what to do.” Emotional intelligence, a person’s ability to function within social or group settings, is one of the most desired skills to look for in a job candidate. This will determine how well the person interfaces with you, your team, and your customers.
To conclude, hiring employees is one of the functions of management that must be done with high level of carefulness. If it is done wrongly, the business suffers. But if it is done rightly with the above qualities put into consideration, the business grows with the right people working in it.
My name is Chigozie Japhet. I am a content writer, and a brand strategist. I like writing, reading, researching and watching football, especially my team, Man United. i believe in working hard, and also in relaxation as all work without play, makes Chigozie a dull boy.
