Four things
recruiters look for to size up candidates’ potential
Hiring
managers always need to assess candidates’ ability to grow, especially new
grads with little experience. These are some key signs of standout traits.
I’ve recruited countless graduates for roles in many organizations
over the past decade, and I’m constantly asked what I look for. My answer is
always the same: potential.
This is especially true for entry-level hires. Obviously,
there’s no point in assessing recent grads the same way that you would more
experienced candidates. Without much work experience or familiarity with the
workplace, those candidates need to bring something else to the table–namely
the ability to pick things up quickly and apply new ideas on their
own. Here are a few concrete qualities that signal potential in
entry-level (or any!) candidates–and what job seekers can do to show those
traits off.
1. DETERMINATION
I currently work for a tech company called ThoughtWorks, which
looks beyond traditional credentials like college majors and grades to make
hiring decisions. To be a software developer you don’t necessarily have to have
a computer science degree. Maybe you taught yourself to code in your free time,
which tells me something much more powerful–that you’re committed to learning
your craft and determined to succeed.
In fact, I’ve noticed recently that some of our most successful
graduate hires in Australia have come to us through an intensive coding
bootcamp, and what they sometimes lack in technical ability, they make up for
with drive. Skills from elsewhere in their academic careers and previous work
experience tend to be transferrable, as long as they’ve got grit and
determination.
2. PASSION
Passion and determination are close cousins but remain distinct.
The former is about creativity and enthusiasm, and the latter is about strategy
and ambition; both are strong predictors of potential.
To assess a candidate’s passion, I ask myself how excited they
seem at the prospect of joining the team–and how excited I am
at bringing them on board. Will they introduce new ideas or fresh energy?
What will they bring to the table? Everyone on a team can learn from each
other, whether they’ve got 10 months’ or 10 years’ experience, so I tend to
look for candidates who demonstrate creative thinking and an eagerness to learn.
I also ask myself whether I’d be happy coaching or mentoring them, since their
passion and enthusiasm will drive them forward and fuel their growth–but
without it, their potential to learn diminishes.
3. SELF-AWARENESS
Ideally, every new hire should be able to grow with the
organization, adapting to larger changes. To do that, they need to be aware of
themselves and how they fit into the overall company culture.
Feedback is the key here. New hires need to be open to
constructive criticism, otherwise they risk curbing their own potential to grow
and evolve. But hiring managers and recruiters also need to be clear about the
characteristics they don’t want to see as well as the ones
they expect new hires to cultivate. So be sure to find someone who’s open to
the ideas of others, respects their colleagues’
differences, and takes feedback well–in short,
someone who’s sufficiently self-aware of their strengths and weaknesses to be
able to learn and adapt.
4. APTITUDE
Technical skills can be picked, and professional maturity comes
with time and experience, but every new hire needs to be able to learn quickly
in order to reach their full potential. And for that, there’s no substitute for
good, old-fashioned aptitude.
Look for assessments and interview questions that let
candidates demonstrate how inquisitive they are. You might even ask them to
describe an experience when they had to learn something new on the fly. Some
interviewers even devise exercises and practicums that give candidates a chance
to collaborate on a shared outcome, and I’ve found this is often a great
way to gauge potential: Don’t tell us what you can do, show us.
There’s no better way to find out if someone has the ability to do something
than by asking them to demonstrate it.
Keeping these attributes in mind can help you spot candidates with
the most promise to grow into future leaders. And if you’re a job seeker,
remember that recruiters and hiring managers are always assessing
your potential, even if they haven’t devised a formal method for doing that. So
when in doubt, take your own initiative and show off these four traits as best
you can. They’ll never steer you wrong.
BY YEWANDE IGE AND WILL PHILIPS https://www.fastcompany.com/90188225/four-things-recruiters-looks-for-to-size-up-candidates-potential?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fast%20Company%20Daily&position=8&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=07122018
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