The hiring process is often a stressful one for companies. The days of hiring someone based solely on a prescribed amount of experience and the right skills on a resume are gone. Granted, candidates need the right skills to perform well. Yet almost every company has stories about someone who ticked every box on paper and turned into a nightmare. To help you avoid that fate, here are the signs that you’ve picked the right candidate.
They Tick Most of the Boxes
There is an excellent chance that your job description includes a list of skills that virtually no candidate possesses. Unless you’re holding out for that pie-in-the-sky dream candidate, be willing to talk with people who only tick most of the boxes. Those candidates will almost always prove capable of handling the technical or skills-based areas of the position.
Enthusiasm
Every company hires some people who only see the job as a stepping stone to the company they want to work. It’s unavoidable. The right candidate, on the other hand, will be enthusiastic about working at your company. Someone enthusiastic about your company will likely stay longer, work harder, and become a legitimate asset for your business.
Culture Fit
It’s not always a popular position, but it’s often better to hire someone who is a good culture fit over a bad culture fit that’s better qualified. You can always train someone on skills they lack or work them up to more demanding responsibilities. It’s very difficult to train someone to become a good fit for your existing culture. Look for someone who will mesh well with your current team. They’ll make more positive contributions and be far less likely to create a toxic work environment.
Self-Aware
A good candidate possesses self-awareness. That means they understand their own strengths and weaknesses. Someone with self-awareness will prove far more willing to hand off responsibilities to others who excel in that area. This lends itself to a more harmonious and productive workplace.
Excellent Communication on the Right Subjects
It’s a sad truth that interviews often favor candidates who talk a good game. They’re charming and instantly likable. The problem is that that charm and likeability can mask serious weaknesses. Look for someone who communicates well about the right things, such as past accomplishments, professional goals, and ideas for the company.
It’s Not All About the Resume
A good candidate isn’t just someone who has the right amount of experience and a checklist of skills on their resume. A good candidate is someone with enthusiasm for your business who can mesh with your existing team. They understand their own shortcomings and communicate well where it matters. If you find someone like that, even if they’re a little short on experience or light on skills, you’ve got the right candidate.
Are your recruitment efforts bringing in lots of candidates but no good fits? GPS can help you find candidates that offer the right skills and bring the right intangibles to the table.
