With so many businesses hiring summertime help this season, we felt it was important to review the best attributes every HR manager or hiring professional must look for in each potential new hire. Whether you are searching for temporary workers or you are hiring for a position that is here to stay, look for these ten points as you go through the hiring process.
- Wants to learn
The last thing you want in a new hire is a person who “knows it all already.” This can indicate that the potential employee is difficult to correct and may not be able to learn your practices and policies.
- Exhibits intelligence
Being able to approach a problem in an orderly fashion, learn everything there is to learn about the challenge ahead and then conquer the issue is no easy task. Ask your interviewee if he or she has had to face an incomprehensible situation in the past – and how they handled it.
- Interested in your company and the services provided
Even if you are simply hiring a temporary or seasonal employee, they must be interested in their work and excited to come in every day. If they are looking to get hired so they can just “clock in” and “clock out” each day for a paycheck, that potential employee will not be giving you their full effort or attention while they are at work.
- Willing to take responsibility
You are looking for a new hire that will execute his or her duties and take responsibility for successes – and mistakes. Ask your interviewee what happened the last time he or she helped a coworker. You can also ask what accomplishment they are most proud of in their career. Both of these questions help identify how much responsibility they took in past projects.
Be cautious with one thing here: taking responsibility does not mean taking credit. If a person says he or she completed a project with a team, you can dig deeper and find out what specific portion of the project they were tasked with and why they are proud of their accomplishment. However, just because the interviewee says “it was a team effort” or some such comment doesn’t mean that person didn’t take responsibility for their duties.
- Doesn’t speak poorly about past employers or coworkers
The above question “when was the last time you helped a coworker?” can help ferret out those who would speak ill of past employers or coworkers. Anyone who would disparage those they previously worked with are not people you want on your team.
- Is easy to speak to and understand
This is an extremely important point. An interviewee can be the nicest person, but if they are unintelligible or communicate poorly, they will not be a good fit for your company. The basis upon which every company and team is built is communication, so don’t hire poor communicators. They will cause hours of frustration.
- Focuses on you as you speak
When interviewing, it is important to look at where the interviewee is focusing. Are they looking straight at you? Are their eyes flicking around the room, unable to settle on anything? Are they focusing on your chin or above your head – never looking right at you? An interviewee should be able to look at you as you speak. Their eyes may wander momentarily, but if they cannot look at you at all, they may be too frightened or worried about something completely different to focus while working for you.
- Has great references
Always check references. Not every HR manager does this, but it is an important step. The information a potential employee provides is unverifiable unless you check with references.
- Is responsive
Though some HR managers get a little tired of follow up emails, the fact that a potential employee is interested enough in the position to follow up after an interview is a great sign. Another aspect that show responsiveness is that the potential hire listens when you speak and responds with statements that are related to the subject you are talking about. The last thing you want is an employee that constantly goes off on tangents or non sequiturs.
- Wants to further his or her own career
Even if you are interviewing for a temporary or seasonal position, ambition is important. Your potential employee will do a better job if they hope to include their position in your company in their list of excellent references. If you are looking for a permanent position, ambition in your interviewee is a great sign. They will work hard to expand your business and may even move up the ranks.
Here at the Business Success Consulting Group, we provide human resources and staffing consultation. Contact us today to find out how we can help you both achieve your hiring needs and manage your employees effectively.
