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You’ve put together an Outstanding Job Description, posted your job on Of The West, and the applicants are rolling in! But as an employer, your job isn’t over quite yet. Now you need to interview the top applicants and be able to differentiate the average candidates from the exceptional candidates. We know that can be stressful, but we’re about to tell you what to look for in a new hire. These tips and tricks will help eliminate any need to second-guess what you’re doing and will ensure you’re bringing on the right person for the job! Even if you’ve never hired an employee before, you’ll know exactly what to look for in a new hire!
Do they understand your business, mission, and position?
Generally, most candidates will have questions about your business and the position. But do they have a basic understanding of those elements? They should have a good amount of knowledge about what your business does, and the basic requirements of the job.
Listen for questions that the answer is easily found like “how long have you been in business?” Or “what does the company do?” If they are asking questions similar to those mentioned, this shows they didn’t do their research. Look for candidates who ask questions like “I saw on the website your business’s overall mission is X. But what are some of your goals to achieve that mission?” This illustrates the candidate is invested in the position and wants to gather more information about the future of your business.
What Can Be Taught and What Cannot?
Technical skills are important. If you’re hiring for an accounting position, you wouldn’t hire someone who hates numbers, would you? The technical skills for the position you are hiring for are going to be vital to not only the success of the employee but the success of the business. Some skills can be taught and some skills can’t be. So it is important for you as the employer to determine what you are willing to teach to a new employee and what skills you want them to possess when they arrive! This is a keep component of what to look for in a new hire!
Will they fit into your company’s culture?
Work experience and certain credentials are necessary, but will the candidate fit into your company’s culture? As an employer or hiring manager, it’s easy to hire based on merit but it takes a little more digging to ensure this new hire will fit into your organization. How will they relate and get along with their fellow employees? If they will be in a leadership role, what type of leader are they? If all projects are a complete team effort and they work better alone, how does that work in this role? When hiring someone new it’s important to look past just the resume and try to grasp who they are as a person, too.
How do they react to situational/unique questions?
All candidates enter an interview expecting the basic interview questions like, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” And while that is a great question to ask, you also need to be asking situational questions like, “what would you do if (enter scenario)?” Asking situational questions will help you understand how candidates react in high-pressure situations with minimal preparation. As the employer, this will help you determine the candidate’s analytical thinking skills! Another great strategy is asking unique questions such as, “why do you deserve this job?” or “How would your coworkers describe you?” These types of questions will help you probe beneath the surface to find more information about your potential new hire. Going back to what we said earlier, this will help you determine if the candidate is a good fit!
How is their body language?
A candidate can be saying one thing and their body language can be saying another. Body language always tells the truth. Through one’s body language you can tell if the candidate is bored, insecure, confident, nervous, or excited. Body language examples that may mean the candidate isn’t totally jazzed about being there could be slouching, crossing their arms, or an uninterested expression. Examples that the candidate is excited and confident are: sitting tall in their seat, making eye contact with the interviewer, smiling, and looking interested. Remember, their body language is telling the truth and is a reflection of their personality!
Do they possess communication skills?
Communication skills are paramount across all industries and positions. No matter if the position calls for direct communication often or not, being able to communicate with your team members effectively is an important element. Every business has a mission and goal and being able to communicate will ensure everyone is on the same page and the rate of that goal getting achieved will skyrocket! This will be something you can determine in the interview. Now, will the candidate be nervous and their speaking skills may be a little inhibited? Possibly. But if they are still able to speak their point through the nerves, that shows you the ability to communicate is there!
The hiring process can be overwhelming and it can be easy to just fill the position quickly. But taking your time and looking for these qualities in your candidates will pay off in the long run. Creating a cohesive team of employees will continue to contribute to positive company culture and long-term success!
Now that you know what to look for in a new hire, are you ready to hire your next employee through Of The West?! Click here to create your Company Profile, and get started!
