According to Zapilio the true cost of hiring an employee in 2022 can be approximately $10,000. This makes choosing the right candidate an important decision for employers who want to keep costs down and retention high. Which means they need to look beyond the basic skills to find their next new hire who is prepared and ready for success.
With the October unemployment rate at 3.7%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers are focusing on job candidates who are not eager to job hop. They also need people who are willing to face challenges and have strong problem solving skills, along with proven methods for conflict resolution. Essentially, they want strong leaders who know how to adapt in finding solutions, being more self-directed instead of relying on management to handle difficult situations on their behalf.
While specific hard skills that new hires acquire through education and experience are important for completing tasks, other skills that center around attitude are just as essential. Some of the traits that employers often seek include:
Communication Skills – Employers often look to candidates that have both interpersonal and public speaking skills, while also having the ability to communicate using different methods based on the audience they need to reach. For example, according to Forbes, younger generations who are comfortable with video games, prefer video instruction such as those featured on Tik Tok. Employees who can tailor their communication style with modern approaches are usually the most effective communicators.
Critical Thinking – According to Ziprecruiter, employers also want employees to use critical thinking skills in order to gather information to discover new ideas and solve problems through analyzing data to reach the best results.
Vulnerability and Authenticity – New hires that are capable of sharing their vulnerability and authenticity with their team are able to encourage honest conversations that help move solutions forward. According to Entrepreneur, this openness is helpful for building trust and exhibiting core beliefs.
During the interview process employers can often determine if an employee will be a good fit by asking open-ended questions. These types of questions go beyond a yes or no answer to explore future goals and motivations for success. According to Indeed, some examples of the toughest open-ended interview questions include:
How would you describe yourself? – This question can help find out how self-aware the job candidate is regarding their own abilities and what they consider their strongest qualities for achieving success.
What are your motivations? – The level of motivation that a person shows will usually indicate how productive and happy they will be when they are striving to achieve their goals. Also, knowing what they’re eager to pursue will determine how they align with the company.
What makes you the right person for this job? – A job seeker who has done extensive research about the company and the position, should be able to share how their past experiences allow them to succeed in their next position.
Where do you see yourself in five years? – Employees who are thinking about their future career aspirations, is one way to determine how they are planning ahead. For example, perhaps they want to further develop their leadership skills in order to become a manager.
Why are you leaving your current job? – Knowing exactly why a person wants to leave their current job will help you determine if their motivation for change is specific to that company, or could be a chance for new opportunities by joining your team.
Tell me something that isn’t on your resume. – The answer to this question allows the job candidate to highlight the positive qualities they consider the most important. If they mention how they enjoy learning new skills, they would typically want to explore career development.
Carefully vetting future hires is often necessary to find the right fit, however, it is also important to make the process manageable, otherwise potential employees will seek other positions that aren’t as stringent. According to the Harvard Business Review the best way to streamline the process includes:
Reduce the amount of interviewers – If a position usually has more than five interviewers, reducing the number of people will also help decrease the cost and time associated with a drawn out process.
Track the productivity of the committee – If the same committee members disapprove of the majority of job candidates, that can slow things down, and not be an effective way to conduct the process if they are focusing on finding perfect candidates.
Designate the final decision maker – Before all the interviews are completed, have a designated decision maker who will be able to make a final choice even if the consensus isn’t unanimous.