Top 10 Traits Hiring Managers are Seeking from Candidates
In the first two days of this week, I heard from three of the people with whom I’ve had the opportunity to do some resume and job search coaching. All three just landed new jobs. What a terrific way to start a week..! They all had much in common in regard to the manner in which their job searches were approached…and I firmly believe that it significantly contributed to their individual successes (each of them wound up with a better job than the one from which they had been outplaced).
They all did a terrific job of networking, putting together customized resumes that focused on specific examples of accomplishments and truly separated themselves from other candidates during the interview process.
In addition to doing the right things during a job search…candidates in today’s very competitive job market must have the “right stuff”. OK…so what is that?
From conversations with dozens of recruiters and hiring managers, I have compiled a list of the top ten competencies/attributes/traits that “ideal candidates” are expected to have:
Excellent communication skills (written & verbal) – Let’s face it…if you cannot deliver your message or share your thoughts in a clear, concise and intelligent manner, how are you going to “work well with others” within the organization or develop strong relationships with clients? Whether you manage, lead or follow, you must be able to communicate very well and by any means (verbally, letter/memo, e-mail, social media…etc). In my conversations with other hiring managers, the ability to communicate is most often mentioned as ultimately the most important core competency.
Self-confidence – Ask any sales person how important they feel having a high degree of self-confidence is to their overall success. Remember, folks, we all sell…every day, regardless of our function/title at work. We pitch our ideas to co-workers, supervisors and/or clients. If we don’t have confidence in ourselves, our message, our suggestions, our work product…why should anyone else? Displaying self-confidence is one of the keys to having a great interview.
Team building – Today, more than ever before, we work in collaborative environments that officially or unofficially are team-based. For the most part, we cannot find ongoing success without the input, support and participation of co-workers. Thus, candidates who can demonstrate that they are able to either lead a team or make a team better as a result of their participation in such, are more desirable than those who are unable to do so.
Innovation & resourcefulness – We live in a society with a work culture that has forced employees to do more with less. The old saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention”, personifies why there is such a thirst by hiring managers for employees who live and breathe “working smarter not harder”. For example, in our small company I hold a debriefing session after every client and prospect event. No matter how well the event turned out, our team always seems to find new ideas for making the next one even better. I’ve got the right people “on the bus” and their passion for innovation and ability to be resourceful are two of the main reasons why that is so.
Time management/planning & organization – You don’t have to be a Project Manager to be expected to have excellent time management and organizational skills. No hiring manager wishes to have on their team an employee who is not well organized in regard to their approach to completing assignments.
Please don’t put “multi-tasking” on your resume as an area of expertise! In today’s work environment, it is assumed/expected that ALL employees can multi-task…they have to do so because there are less people doing the same amount of work than there was a week ago, a month ago or a year ago. The work did not walk out the front door along with the outplaced employees who used to spend 40 hrs (or more) a week doing it. That work was just re-allocated to the “survivors”. And those survivors are expected to get it all completed…in basically the same amount of time.
Decision-making & judgment – You don’t have to be the boss to be expected to make good decisions and judgments. Every employee is expected to do so - every day.
For example - at one of my former employers a person in the Marketing group ran with a particular project, based upon their own assumptions of what would “look good” (they decided it was not necessary to obtain input from the end-user). The end product was to be given to clients who opened up a new account. Thankfully, someone saw the give-away prior to its delivery to the branch offices and it was determined that the graphic used on the piece would be deemed by clients to be very offensive. The company wound up throwing away hundreds of thousands of the give-away pieces, costing them nearly a million dollars.
Every employee…every day.
Embraces diversity & uses such to create synergies – Hiring managers love candidates who can demonstrate the ability to see the value and unique talents that each individual can “bring to the table” and use the power of such diversity to create strong synergies and great outcomes. This is the kind of person who sees diversity as a strength or competitive advantage, not a weakness.
Leadership – Again…you don’t have to be the boss to lead. Everyone has the opportunity – each day – to lead by example. Managing is not leading. Managers are expected to do things right, leaders are expected to do the right things. So, whether you are going to be the CEO or the Receptionist…the hiring manager wants proof of your ability to lead.
Global thinker/visionary/thought leader – Can you see the “big picture”? Do you understand the potential consequence/impact to the company’s growth, success and overall bottom line of a decision made or action taken by a particular group, division or department? Do you understand how all of the different organizational pieces fit together? Are you perceived as being visionary in your thinking? As part of your “brand”, are you perceived as being a thought leader in your area of expertise (are you the “go-to” person for information & advice)?
Accountability – I don’t desire to bring someone into my team who will be quick to point the finger of blame at others rather than accepting responsibility for his/her own actions. Hiring managers are seeking employees who will do what they say they are going to do, unselfishly recognize others for their accomplishments and are willing to step forward and accept responsibility. Employers would like to believe that having these qualities should be a “given”…sadly, that is often not the case.
Remember that just telling the prospective hiring manager that you have such qualities is not enough to convince them…you must prove your claims using specific examples in the resume and during interview discussions that clearly demonstrate your ability to apply these skills/traits in such a way that it has in the past and will, when they hire you, produce exceptional results.
Convince me that you have the “right stuff”.
They all did a terrific job of networking, putting together customized resumes that focused on specific examples of accomplishments and truly separated themselves from other candidates during the interview process.
In addition to doing the right things during a job search…candidates in today’s very competitive job market must have the “right stuff”. OK…so what is that?
From conversations with dozens of recruiters and hiring managers, I have compiled a list of the top ten competencies/attributes/traits that “ideal candidates” are expected to have:
Excellent communication skills (written & verbal) – Let’s face it…if you cannot deliver your message or share your thoughts in a clear, concise and intelligent manner, how are you going to “work well with others” within the organization or develop strong relationships with clients? Whether you manage, lead or follow, you must be able to communicate very well and by any means (verbally, letter/memo, e-mail, social media…etc). In my conversations with other hiring managers, the ability to communicate is most often mentioned as ultimately the most important core competency.
Self-confidence – Ask any sales person how important they feel having a high degree of self-confidence is to their overall success. Remember, folks, we all sell…every day, regardless of our function/title at work. We pitch our ideas to co-workers, supervisors and/or clients. If we don’t have confidence in ourselves, our message, our suggestions, our work product…why should anyone else? Displaying self-confidence is one of the keys to having a great interview.
Team building – Today, more than ever before, we work in collaborative environments that officially or unofficially are team-based. For the most part, we cannot find ongoing success without the input, support and participation of co-workers. Thus, candidates who can demonstrate that they are able to either lead a team or make a team better as a result of their participation in such, are more desirable than those who are unable to do so.
Innovation & resourcefulness – We live in a society with a work culture that has forced employees to do more with less. The old saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention”, personifies why there is such a thirst by hiring managers for employees who live and breathe “working smarter not harder”. For example, in our small company I hold a debriefing session after every client and prospect event. No matter how well the event turned out, our team always seems to find new ideas for making the next one even better. I’ve got the right people “on the bus” and their passion for innovation and ability to be resourceful are two of the main reasons why that is so.
Time management/planning & organization – You don’t have to be a Project Manager to be expected to have excellent time management and organizational skills. No hiring manager wishes to have on their team an employee who is not well organized in regard to their approach to completing assignments.
Please don’t put “multi-tasking” on your resume as an area of expertise! In today’s work environment, it is assumed/expected that ALL employees can multi-task…they have to do so because there are less people doing the same amount of work than there was a week ago, a month ago or a year ago. The work did not walk out the front door along with the outplaced employees who used to spend 40 hrs (or more) a week doing it. That work was just re-allocated to the “survivors”. And those survivors are expected to get it all completed…in basically the same amount of time.
Decision-making & judgment – You don’t have to be the boss to be expected to make good decisions and judgments. Every employee is expected to do so - every day.
For example - at one of my former employers a person in the Marketing group ran with a particular project, based upon their own assumptions of what would “look good” (they decided it was not necessary to obtain input from the end-user). The end product was to be given to clients who opened up a new account. Thankfully, someone saw the give-away prior to its delivery to the branch offices and it was determined that the graphic used on the piece would be deemed by clients to be very offensive. The company wound up throwing away hundreds of thousands of the give-away pieces, costing them nearly a million dollars.
Every employee…every day.
Embraces diversity & uses such to create synergies – Hiring managers love candidates who can demonstrate the ability to see the value and unique talents that each individual can “bring to the table” and use the power of such diversity to create strong synergies and great outcomes. This is the kind of person who sees diversity as a strength or competitive advantage, not a weakness.
Leadership – Again…you don’t have to be the boss to lead. Everyone has the opportunity – each day – to lead by example. Managing is not leading. Managers are expected to do things right, leaders are expected to do the right things. So, whether you are going to be the CEO or the Receptionist…the hiring manager wants proof of your ability to lead.
Global thinker/visionary/thought leader – Can you see the “big picture”? Do you understand the potential consequence/impact to the company’s growth, success and overall bottom line of a decision made or action taken by a particular group, division or department? Do you understand how all of the different organizational pieces fit together? Are you perceived as being visionary in your thinking? As part of your “brand”, are you perceived as being a thought leader in your area of expertise (are you the “go-to” person for information & advice)?
Accountability – I don’t desire to bring someone into my team who will be quick to point the finger of blame at others rather than accepting responsibility for his/her own actions. Hiring managers are seeking employees who will do what they say they are going to do, unselfishly recognize others for their accomplishments and are willing to step forward and accept responsibility. Employers would like to believe that having these qualities should be a “given”…sadly, that is often not the case.
Remember that just telling the prospective hiring manager that you have such qualities is not enough to convince them…you must prove your claims using specific examples in the resume and during interview discussions that clearly demonstrate your ability to apply these skills/traits in such a way that it has in the past and will, when they hire you, produce exceptional results.
Convince me that you have the “right stuff”.
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