What to Look For When Interviewing Potential Employees

The selection process can be overwhelming when you’re trying to identify who might be the right fit for a job.

There are certain traits to look for when interviewing potential candidates for a position within your business. Identifying how somebody might be the right ‘fit’ for your company is also important.

Look at this short guide to identify how you can make informed choices when hiring your next top-performing employee.

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What to look for when you’re interviewing potential candidates:

1. Professionalism. We all want to ensure we are as impressive and employable as possible, but is your potential employee demonstrating a positive attitude?

●      At the very least, interview candidates should ensure that they research the company they are hoping to work for. This small gesture demonstrates exceptional attention to detail.

● Candidates who are more informed about their potential role are demonstrating efficiency, interest, and motivation. It is clear that they are willing to invest time and commitment into the role.

1. Transferable skills. You might have a candidate sitting in front of you who is bold, exciting, and would be a real breath of fresh air for your company. You may notice, however, that they don’t have any experience in the field they are applying to work in.

●      When considering who to hire, looking at transferable skills can be particularly beneficial.

●      If, for example, you are hiring for a management consultant, has your potential candidate worked in a supervisory role? Do they have a degree where they’ve used a variety of skills?

●      Look beyond the rule book. Look at a candidate's potential opportunities and ask them more about how their skills may be useful. After all, you can always train someone in a particular role.

1. Hobbies and interests. A great candidate should be well-rounded and able to identify the clear divide between their personal and professional life.

●      A candidate with hobbies and interests demonstrates that they can manage their time effectively. They show that they can identify and create balance in their life.

●      This may potentially mean they are less prone to stress and can manage higher and more varied workloads.

●      Someone with hobbies and interests will likely be fun, engaging, and open-minded, which is exactly the person anyone would want on their team.

1. Honesty. If a potential candidate has gaps in their employment history, it may be worth asking them to explain why.

●      If a potential employee is honest, thoughtful, and sensitive about the information they tell you, it can demonstrate integrity and allow them to be seen as trustworthy.

●      Someone open and honest will likely listen and engage with training and future development. They will also speak up if they have an issue, creating a more friendly and honest working environment.

There are other ways, of course, to identify a great candidate. Someone who takes pride in their appearance is great with punctuality

and can hold an intelligent, thought-provoking conversation should be considered highly.

Be aware of people who refuse to divulge their past employment history or those that turn up unpresentable. You are trying to hire an ambassador for your workplace, so time and care must be taken to identify the perfect fit for your company.

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