What is important when considering a candidate?
I bet your top 3 answers might include: years of experience, prior work history (longevity)
and maybe specific industry knowledge or technical knowledge.
While in many instances those factors are key – in ALL instances
the most important thing that is often overlooked is ATTITUDE. I suppose you could call it “personality” or “demeanor” or any number of other things, but in reality – it all boils down to how
someone not only interacts with others, but what their mindset is. It’s relatively easy to train someone on the
necessary technology or job responsibilities but changing someone’s mindset /
attitude is not a simple task and isn’t something an employer should have to focus
on.
One might ask “how do you screen for attitude?” – it’s not as easy
as a technical assessment, or carefully reviewing a resume, it takes time and
interest on the employer’s part.
Below are a few ways to learn more about a candidate’s attitude
& mindset:
o * Review their available social media. (Do your research!)
a. What is the
focus of their posts
b. Has the nature
of their posts been consistent
c. Are their
posts focused on the positive
d. What have they
shared about their job/employer/management
Of course, everyone has bad days and no one can be expected to have
a sunny disposition 24/7 – but if there is a history of negative leaning, angry,
off-color or “woe is me” posts, there could be reason for concern.
o * Let people talk
Schedule the first interview via phone only, most people feel more
comfortable when chatting on the phone. Allow
45 minutes to an hour if possible. The
more time you set aside to listen, the more insight you’ll gain. In today’s hurried
world, interviews are often quick, only cover the basics and the questions are
typically canned interview questions like “where do you see yourself in 5 years”.
While it is crucial to keep interviews consistent so that all candidates
are given a fair opportunity, asking questions that open the floor for the
candidate to provide detailed information is particularly important. Draw on
open ended questions that are specific to their work history, and social media
content. Examples: “I noticed on your
resume that you left XYZ Company after only 4 months, can you tell me more
about what happened there” or “I see you’ve posted quite often about your
concern over AI, can you explain how you see AI impacting people in our
industry” or “I was reviewing your LinkedIn profile and noticed you posted
recently about how having a manager that cares is important to employee
retention – have you ever had a manager that didn’t care, and how did you
handle that situation”.
By asking open-ended questions that will allow a deeper insight
into the candidate’s mindset, you will gain
invaluable information on what type of employee they will be.
Maya Angelou once said, “When someone shows you who they are the
first time, believe them” and this is true in the interview process as
well. Never second guess your first
impression.
o * Start out every interview with some friendly conversation
to break the ice.
Examples: “heard your area got a lot of snow last
week, do you enjoy the winter weather”, or “I was in Columbus for a meeting
once, how do you like living there” or even something like - “I see you live in
LA, I’ve only been there once and the traffic was CRAZY! How do you handle it”. Finding something in common is important to
establish open communication. Review
their prior work history, maybe you know someone in common? “I see you worked
at ABC Inc, do you know Beth Lastname”, or maybe you attended the same college “We
both went to University of Alabama! Roll Tide! right?! I used to love attending the football games, did
you ever go to one”
You never know where the conversation may go, often it’s great and
you can build a bond with the person, which can help establish a strong relationship if the candidate is hired, occasionally the conversation may take a turn. I’ve heard some pretty horrific things over
the years, most of which I can’t disclose simply because of the nature of the
content. I’ve had people share hateful
opinions on other groups
, I once had a candidate talk to me about
peeing in a pool (why?!), and I actually had a candidate tell me that if the
Manager didn’t hire him he was going to put a speedo on and go sit in the
manager’s front yard in a lawn chair drinking beer until they changed their
mind! The list is endless, maybe I’ll
write a book one day, but I digress –
In conclusion, investing the time to truly get to know a candidate during
the interview process is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it allows for a more comprehensive
understanding of their skills, experience and personality, enabling better-informed
hiring decisions. Secondly, it fosters a
positive candidate experience, reflecting the organization’s commitment to thorough
evaluation and respect for individuals. Lastly,
by delving beyond surface-level impressions, employers can uncover hidden
talents and potential that may not be evident on a resume alone, ultimately
leading to more successful and fulfilling professional relationships, or it
might provide insight into some important concerns. Taking the time to delve into a candidate’s
background and character is an investment in the future success of both the
individual and the organization.
