You’re hiring a new executive position at your firm. There’s a shortlist of five stellar candidates — compact with impressive experience, education, and references — that are about to engage in separate secondary interviews within the coming days. How do you make the right decision? They all made it to the second round of interviews due to their high qualifications and excellent interview skills, so how can you possibly choose just one individual?
There’s no denying that making the final hiring decision can be a challenge. However, if you can find the following three qualities in a candidate, in addition to relevant experience and skillset, you’ve got yourself the right person for the job.
1. Emotional Intelligence
You’re looking for someone who can think quickly on their feet, is a problem-solver, and can effectively communicate with peers. What some hiring committees forget to consider is whether or not a candidate conveys emotional intelligence. Would this person show empathy to colleagues? How would they react to a stressful situation? You want someone who’s not only devoted to producing excellent work but also someone level-headed with interpersonal skills. Ask candidates why they believe they’ve been successful in their careers thus far. The people who thank a mentor or previous manager are the ones you’ll want to get to know because their answer shows they see outside of their egos.
2. Confidence
To identify top talent in your candidate pool, you must look for individuals with high self-esteem and confidence. Confidence shows that they’re happy with themselves and could handle learning a brand new position without experiencing self-doubt. It also shows that they could positively carry themselves in an office full of new faces. You’ll want to stay away from those who appear insecure because such individuals are generally more hesitant at work. If someone is very nervous during the interview, let them know that they’re in a safe space and try to calm them down by saying that you understand and have been in their shoes. If they continue to exhibit signs of insecurity, you might want to move on to the next candidate.
3. Knowledge of the Company
If a person has made it to the second round of interviews, then they must have made it clear that they’ve researched the company on some level. But how much do they actually know? Of course, you don’t expect anyone to know precise figures from your last annual report (although it wouldn’t help if the position is in finance), but they should have a solid understanding of your mandate and trajectory. As you listen to answers, pay attention and see if they align with the company’s values and mission.
Seek Extra Help from a Recruitment Agency
Many organizations work with professional recruiters to help them find the best employees. When you work with a recruitment agency, you don’t have to spend days sifting through resumes and interviewing. A recruiter will handle the entire hiring process for you. There’s also less risk of hiring the wrong person because an agency has the hiring experience and access to exclusive talent.
Hiring is never easy, but by working with an agency and focusing on the right qualities, you’ll find the best candidate in no time.
