Your staff is a direct reflection of your business and has strong link to your business's success. This is why it is important to know what to look out for during the recruitment process. Here are some of the traits to take into consideration during your next interview.
Engagement With Company Vision
New hires should be on board with what your company is trying to achieve. They should believe in your goals, vision and agree with the company’s way of doing things and the overall company culture. If these basics aren’t in place from the get go, you probably won't have a good match.
Look Out For People Who Will Challenge You
While you won’t want to hire someone who will challenge every decision you make, hiring people who challenge some of your ideas might be good for your business. You might think you’re always right, but you can’t be right all the time. Finding employees who have the courage to point out when you’re wrong will be valuable for your company in the long-run.
Virgin founder, Richard Branson, is firm on this point:
We’ve made some mistakes at Virgin, but we would have made far more if I had been surrounded by ‘yes men’. When you get your business up and running, it’s likely that some people overseeing parts of your company will feel that they can do things better. But that’s absolutely fine - you need people who have ideas. Listen to them, delegate to them, and trust them, otherwise they won’t feel valued.
Eagerness To Learn
You need to be sure that all new hires are constantly learning new skills. This means they take full advantage of courses offered online, look for new training opportunities and take advice from colleagues. There is so much free information around these days, anyone who doesn't take advantage isn’t doing themselves, or you, any favours. New hires should want to learn more and broaden their knowledge, especially in terms of your business and how it operates. Good employees are always looking to better themselves.
Willing To Take On Responsibilities
A staff member who isn’t willing to go out of their comfort zone and take on new challenges isn’t someone you want in your organisation. These are the staff members who will be first to put their hands up when you need assistance and these are the people you need in your corner.
Easy To Like
The reality is that we spend a large portion of our days with our colleagues. This means you need to want to be around them. There should be something about them you enjoy. It could be their knowledge of your industry, incredible work ethic, off-beat sense of humour or baking skills. Whatever it is, you need to find a way to connect with all of your colleagues.
Lastly, learn to trust your instincts. A candidate might have the right qualifications, a well-written cover letter and interview well. But if you feel unsure about them, listen to your gut. If you can’t understand what it is about them that makes you uncertain, don’t hire them. Hiring the wrong person could lead to you having to let them go, which isn't always as simple as it may sound.
