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#CareerAdvice : Four Things #Recruiters Look for to Size Up Candidates’ Potential… #HiringManagers Always need to #Assess candidates’ Ability to Grow, Especially #NewGrads with Little Experience. These are some Key Signs of Standout Traits.

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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.

 

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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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.

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.

about the authors below: 

Yewande Ige is a global recruitment strategist at ThoughtWorks, which helps companies invent a new future and bring it to life with technology. In her 13 years at the company, Yewande has helped ThoughtWorks grow from several hundred progressive technologists to a diverse 4,000-person organization.

Will Philips is a graduate experience lead at ThoughtWorks. He has over 11 years of experience in campus recruiting across EMEA & APAC across a range of industries.

FastCompany.com | July 11, 2018

#CareerAdvice : #JobInterview – 5 Red Flags #HiringManagers Say Will Earn You a Rejection…With Proper Preparation & Self-Awareness, These are the Right Tools & Information You Need to Show Up Well in Making a Lasting First Impression!

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While one can never predict the outcome of an interview, there are some surefire ways to shoot yourself in the foot and earn yourself a rejection.

These 5 behaviors will send off red flags to hiring managers and likely prevent you from landing your dream job!

1. Not providing concrete answers to interview questions

Hiring managers and recruiters will often reject candidates because they didn’t get clear responses to their questions. If you want to avoid sounding “wishy-washy”, focus on articulating yourself with answers and examples that elude to your past and potential future success.

Try this: While you can’t predict every question that might come up, you can certainly predict a handful of them. Try preparing for these questions using the S.T.A.R. method, and provide answers that focus on the Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This helps you tell a succinct and linear story while giving the hiring manager clear insights and evidence into how you have handled situations in the past.

How to Answer the 50 Most Common Interview Questions

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. Not managing emotions

We all have scars that can leave us feeling emotional, whether they be from previous employers, or past life experiences. However, if you can’t keep those feelings under wraps during an interview, you’ll quickly find yourself written off from an opportunity. Keep topics like wrongful termination, horrible bosses, financial struggles, and personal sob stories out of the interview room. You need to articulate how, and why, you are the best-suited candidate for this role, not why the hiring manager should have empathy for you. Remember, never speak poorly about a past employer, no matter how horrible your experience.

Try this: Focus on your success stories rather than your sad stories! If you’re unable to put your emotions aside when meeting with a hiring manager, consider taking a break from interviewing to regroup. Similar to dating, you likely wouldn’t want to jump back into the pool after a bad break up without taking some needed healing time!

3. Can’t articulate why you’re leaving a job

One question you can certainly count on coming up is “Why are you looking to leave your job?”. If you’re unable to provide a reasonable answer, the hiring manager might be suspicious and assume the worst. Additionally, stating that you’re leaving because you want more money, or stating something negative about your team/company will also raise red flags.

Try this: Before heading into an interview, prepare an answer for this question that is both neutral and non-critical. For example, you can say something like this:

  • You’re looking for new kinds of experiences (if you say this, be ready to talk about what kind of experiences these are, and why you’re not getting them at your current job!)
  • You’re looking to switch industries ( again, be prepared to say why)
  • You’re looking to be stretched in new ways
  • You’ve learned everything you will from the role and you’re looking towards the next steps
6 Anecdotes You Need to Rehearse Before Your Next Interview

4. Can’t explain movements throughout your career

Movement in one’s career is healthy. In fact, “Workers who stay with a company longer than two years are said to get paid 50% less, and job hoppers are believed to have a higher learning curve, be higher performers, and even to be more loyal, because they care about making a good impression in the short amount of time they know they’ll stay with each employer.”, says Vivian Giang. While this may be true, the movements need to make sense. If you’ve made several moves across roles and industries, you need to connect the dots for the hiring manager, otherwise, they will assume you can’t commit or might be flakey.

Try this: Write down all your experiences, and think through the skills you’ve gained. Can you explain how each step and skill has helped you move forward? Tell a cohesive story about your career, and how each experience has inspired and contributed to your long-term goals.

5. Mistaking arrogance for confidence

Displaying arrogance is almost guaranteed to make recruiters perceive you in a negative light. While it is paramount to sell yourself with confidence, you don’t want to come across as cocky, or a “know it all”.

Try this: Actively listen when the hiring manager speaks. Show gratitude for the opportunity, and demonstrate (with humility) how you can add value to the team and organization. Ask questions that express your willingness to learn, be a team player, and contribute without an ego.

One final tip to decreases the likelihood of rejection is to really understand what the company does and show your enthusiasm for their mission statement and company objective. With proper preparation and self-awareness, we can all better equip ourselves with the right tools and information we need to show up well and make a lasting first impression!

The Author: Stacy Pollack is a Learning Specialist with an MA in educational technology. She is passionate about building leadership programs that engage and contribute to the success of her organization. She loves to share her perspective on job hunting, career building, and networking for success. Connect with her onLinkedIn orTwitter.

GlassDoor.com | July 5, 2018