When hiring, you want to find the right person for the role as soon as possible. The candidate characteristics to look for in the hiring process depend on the role; you need the right tools to determine that.
Here’s what the candidate selection process looks like, what tools are the most effective for hiring, and why assessments are essential for discovering and retaining top-quality talent for your organization’s new staff recruitment and selection process.
Chances are that you’re already familiar with a candidate selection process; it’s just another way to explain the interview process from a business’s point of view.
This process consists of listing a job, preliminary phone interviews, and, more often than not, an assessment to measure an aspect of the candidates’ skills or personality necessary for the role.
Hiring the right candidate doesn’t have to be difficult—you just need the right insights. While each role has unique requirements, there are a few factors that you can measure overall for maximum success in an employee selection plan.
How does a candidate act on a day-to-day basis? What is their natural personality like, and how does that behavior change in a work environment? Is their natural way of being a good fit with the demands of their position?
What makes your candidate want to get out of bed in the morning? Does someone’s personal motivation affect how to choose the right employee? Do their motivations line up with what they’re going to get out of both the input and output of their new role?
Is your potential candidate self-aware and socially aware? Can they handle themselves in high-pressure situations? Do they have a growth mindset and the ability to take constructive criticism?
How do your candidates’ current abilities stack up against the skills every professional needs? Are they leaders, good communicators, and skilled at navigating conflict?
Do their beliefs align with your company culture? Is it important to your organization that employees' beliefs align with the business?
Assessments open the door to increased understanding and more comprehensive selection criteria in recruitment. Determining these requirements and what exactly you want to measure in your job candidates will serve dual purposes; you will also better understand the demands of the position and your own priorities as a team.
Even if you have a successful system of assessments in place to evaluate candidates and employees, that system doesn’t mean anything unless you know exactly what employee characteristics you need in the role.
While it’s wise to specifically define what qualities are needed for individual roles, there are several traits of successful employees that are universal when it comes to building an effective team.
Developed communication skills are crucial for success in the workplace. No matter the position, great communication allows employees to express themselves clearly, resolve conflicts, and make connections across your organization. This is essential to the larger success of your team.
Another attribute of a good employee is a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the perspective that your abilities, qualities, and capabilities can grow and improve over time. This approach allows employees to accept feedback, implement the best ideas, and grow their skillsets over time.
Finally, what makes a great employee is their ability to adapt and innovate. Solving problems on the fly and being able to respond to shifting workplace needs is very valuable for the organization at large. It will also help employers learn about their hidden talents and the possibility of having employees use reskilling to develop an internal talent pipeline.
Finding the right candidate goes far beyond scanning a resume for keywords—it’s about identifying the key characteristics that predict long-term success. From behavior and motivation to emotional intelligence and adaptability, the traits you evaluate during the hiring process shape the future of your organization.
By leveraging structured assessments and clearly defined qualities for each role, you create a more reliable, objective, and insightful selection process.