What is Important When Considering a Candidate?

 

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.