4 TIPS FOR PICKING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB

So you’ve gone through the interview after interview and you’re still not sure on who to offer. 

It’s not a question of whether they’re all qualified, it’s just a question of who is right for your company's:

• Team

• Values

• Future goals

You don’t want to take too long to decide and risk disengaging the candidate, but you also don’t want to rush the decision and regret it later. 

But how will you know which one is right? Keep reading for 4 tips for picking the right candidate for the job:

CONSIDER THE COMPANY CULTURE

It’s not about cultural fit, it’s about cultural add.

This means rather than looking for individuals with the same personality as the rest of the team, you look for individuals that add to the culture. People that add new perspectives, new and new personalities.

This doesn’t mean you have to hire people who won’t connect with the team – it just means you don’t have to hire carbon copies.

When you’ve spoken with your shortlisted candidates, do you get the feeling that they’d be a good addition to the team? Do they show a desire to get involved? One way to gauge this is not through simple interviews between you and them – get your current team involved. Invite the candidates to meet the team or even during an interview, and get 2 team members to go in and meet them.

Your best judge of whether a candidate will fit into a team is by asking the team themselves.

DO THEY FILL A TALENT NEED?

If you’re hiring into a team of people with similar jobs – there’s a tendency to think you just need to hire someone to support with workload and have similar experience/ skills to the rest of the team.

And whilst this is true to an extent – have you considered the fact that someone who is bringing something unique might be exactly what the team needs? Maybe it’s a strength they possess or a niche experience that is missing from the team – that should always be highly valued.

Even if it’s simple soft skills that, whilst they may seem minorly important, could truly be of benefit and rub off onto the rest of the team. The reality is, no one has the same approach to work, the exact same experiences, and the exact same strengths which is why each of your hires should bring something else to the table.

TAKE THE CANDIDATE OUT OF THE OFFICE

This is a practical one, but a crucial one – especially if you’re stuck and need that final bit of assurance on who to offer.

Interviews are great when it comes to judging the basic factors, but when you need to dig deeper – you’ll find that nearly impossible to do in a formal setting. Instead, if you put them in a more informal setting, you’re far more likely to learn more about them, and their attitude and evidently see if you’d like someone like them working in your company.

It also gives room for the candidate to feel comfortable enough to ask certain questions, share more of their goals and just generally showcase their personality. You could tell a candidate ten times over that they should make sure to be themselves but the reality is – most will still play it safe. 

If you want to get a clear idea of what they’d be like to work with – take them out of the stuffy, structured interview process and go for food or a game of bowling. 

LEARN ABOUT THEIR MINDSET – NOT JUST THEIR EXPERIENCE

You could be looking to hire the most experienced, most successful candidate but if their heart isn’t in it – there’s no use. 

As an employer, you need to be looking for people who are:

• Committed

• Hardworking 

• Teachable

• Supportive

If someone has those qualities, it often far outweighs any experience or qualification. Experience is only of benefit if they have the drive to make the most of it. Skills are only of benefit if they’re willing to adapt to your company goals to make the most of it. Qualifications are only of benefit if they’re willing to apply it to your company long-term.

- Written by Oliver Howson

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