Hiring the right candidate for a job is not easy. It is even more difficult in today’s fast-paced, rapidly changing work environment. It starts with shortlisting resumes that fit the basic qualifications. While this is the starting point in selection of a candidate, managers need to check for soft skills and qualities that define the right candidate. Although, hard skills help display the understanding of a particular task or ability and experience, soft skills define whether the candidate is the right fit for the job and the company in the long run.
While task-oriented skills remain critical for success at work, LinkedIn data shows that employers are giving equal importance to soft skills that play a critical role.
So, what are the qualities that you should look for in any candidate before hiring, to improve your chances of a successful hire?
#1 – Are they Adaptive?
Pandemic has proven that change is the only constant and those who are quick to adapt to changing scenarios are the ones who will survive in the future. In today’s rapidly evolving technology driven market, it is most crucial that the candidate has the ability to quickly learn & adapt to the dynamic scenarios. Employees who are more adaptive are flexible and have the ability to respond effectively in any situation.
Ask them if they can offer you examples of scenarios where they embraced changes, where they could evolve and grow with the new situation? Or, have they been able to learn new skills and behaviours in response to changing times? Answers to these questions can tell you a lot about their ability to adapt and shine in any situation.
# 2 – Do they have Diverse Experience?
People with diverse professional experience tend to be more open to new ideas and influences. This can help provide fresh perspectives and introduce innovative ways of doing things. An organisation with a diverse workforce has the ability to tap into the wealth of knowledge of the team members and increase productivity, efficiency and innovation.
While looking for the right candidate for a role, opt for one with diverse professional experience for a more well-rounded team.
Google prefers candidates with a broad base of knowledge and skills, as opposed to individuals with deep expertise in a narrow field. They look for employees who can think outside the box and create innovative solutions to problems.
# 3 – Positive Attitude
There is no doubt that positive attitude leads to better performance. People with positive attitude will find ways to do the work more efficiently without complaining. An employee with a positive attitude makes working fun and effortless. Moreover, people with positive attitude are usually not afraid of failure and tend to think out of the box and try out new things. These are exactly the things that lead to a great work environment and culture.
Most often the body language and the behaviour during the interview will be enough for you to determine the attitude. You can also ask them about situations when they were faced with obstacles and how did they overcome it. Listen carefully and ask for details to weed out lies. Reference checks can also help find out more about the candidates attitude at work.
If you are positive, you will see opportunities instead of obstacles – Confucius.
#4 – Emotional quotient
Emotional quotient is the ability to understand others and what motivates them, as well as your own motivations. This helps create better & meaningful relationships with other employees and customers. Emotionally intelligent employees thrive when they are working with others in teams because they understand others feelings. They can communicate more effectively with others. They are also more aware of their strengths and weaknesses which helps them accept critical feedback better, creating better chances for improvement.
Ask the following questions to determine the emotional quotient in a potential employee.
- how did you deal with a dispute between colleagues?
- how did you handle a tricky situation with a customer?
- How do you handle criticism?
A person with high emotional quotient will always keep other people’s feelings and well-being in mind while handling such situations.
#5 – Future potential
While hiring a candidate look for someone who can meet your company’s current and future requirements. A candidate’s potential is related to their career goals. Asking questions focused on their professional goals can help understand a candidate’s inclination for growth in a company.
So, how can you identify someone who will stay with the company? A very standard question, “where do you see yourself in the next 2-3 years?, is usually answered with a typical “I see myself in a management position”. Though this helps suggest that the candidate has a growth objective, further probing them about their plan to achieve their goal can help understand how engaged they are. If the candidate provides enough evidence of what they have been able to create, initiate or change, there is a high chance that they possess dynamic growth potential.
Remember, not all your hiring decisions will be right. Even after doing all the right things, you might end up with a person who is not the right fit. However, if you can check for these qualities over and above the qualifications and also follow your gut feel where necessary, there are better chances of hiring the next employee successfully.
