5 Common Traits Hiring Managers Will Look For
What key traits are all
hiring managers looking for in prospective employees? The answers to this
question are incredibly important whether you are looking for a new position or
trying to gain promotion within your current company.
There are clearly
specific skills and criteria that will be unique to the individual role you are
going for. However, there are common personality elements and themes that
hiring managers will be looking for evidence of to ascertain whether you’re the
type of employee they want on the team.
Five of the most common
traits we see hiring managers look for in candidates are:
1. Honesty
It should go without saying really but honesty
is a key trait decision makers will be looking for from the word go. If they
feel they can’t trust you they will almost certainly not want to hire you.
This is more than simply telling the truth,
it’s about being transparent about your career history, even if you made some
mistakes along the way. If a particular position didn’t work out, or you had a
short stint somewhere, it’s always best to be open about the reasons why.
It’s very rare to find someone with a bulletproof
work history, we’re only human and we all make mistakes from time to time.
Hiring managers will be sympathetic to this as long as they have the full
facts.
Ask yourself who you would rather hire, someone
who made a mistake in the past, was honest about his or her error and
demonstrated they’d learned from the experience, or someone who fabricated the
truth and didn’t hold their hands up when they made a mistake?
2. A
Consistent Career Path
A history of success and stability are clear
indicators of someone that will add value to a team. Working for a company for
a prolonged period of time demonstrates you were clearly effective in your
role, this is enhanced if your background shows a history of progressing within
your chosen industry.
Of course there will always be some exceptions
to this rule. Some moves don’t always work out, and it might have been
necessary to move side-ways if you were seeking to learn new skills and work in
an alternate sector.
On the whole though, hiring managers will be looking
for consistent progression and a logical career path. Ideally this experience
will come from the same field in which they work, or one closely aligned to it.
If it doesn’t, they’ll be looking for a strong reason as to why your skills are
transferrable.
3.
Energy and Passion
A less tangible trait
but one that is no less important, energy, passion and a positive attitude are
a must for decision makers. Without them even the best candidates will be
overlooked. If there’s one area where a lack of technical skills or experience
can be made up for it is in the passion stakes.
You must show that you
care about what you do. A committed employee is doubly as effective as someone
who’s just there for the pay check. High energy levels and passion are infectious.
Decision maker’s love seeing vibrant candidates as they know this ambition and
enthusiasm will rub off on others in the team, giving everyone a morale boost.
You’ve probably
experienced it yourself when working with others, how much more enjoyable and
productive is it to work with a highly driven and passionate group of
individuals? Be the type of employee you would want next to you.
4. Good
Communication Skills
Strong communication
skills are no doubt a trait you have heard before. But what do we really mean
when say communication skills? It’s not just about speaking clearly and being
friendly.
The type of
communication skills hiring managers are looking for in employees is their
ability to engage with key stakeholders in a credible fashion. Whether you are
a Sales Executive, Account Manager or Project Manager, the ability to clearly
articulate your ideas and have clarity of thought is crucial.
5. Personable
and Team Orientated
How you fit into a company both from a wider
organisational level and on a more intricate team based level is particularly
important. Everyone is different and decision makers appreciate this, however
there will be a clear company culture that they will be evaluating whether you
fit into.
What will your personality add to the team
dynamic? How will you work with others? Will you hit the ground running or take
time to integrate yourself into the group? These are all questions they will be
asking themselves.
It’s a more difficult trait to prepare for,
sometimes you are just not the right fit and it is no reflection on your
capability as an individual. The best you can do is check any ego at the door,
demonstrate the value you can add to a team and try to apply for positions with
companies whose values match yours.
Damian Eyre | Director T: 0208 834 1392 | M: 07795 471963 http://www.saleslogic.co.uk/
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