The Top Six Things Interviewers Need to Know

In today’s current market and with so many looking for employment, it’s safe to say that hundreds of interviews are happening every hour. Job interviews can be tough for both the interviewer and the interviewee. Job candidates aren't completely sure what the prospective company is looking for and those doing the interviewing aren't sure how to figure out what kind of candidates they're really talking to. While looking at a perfectly prepared resume isn't going to answer those questions either!

According to Dean Stamoulis, head of the Global Executive Assessment Practice for Russell Reynolds Associates, there are key things interviewers look for that can help them determine whether the person they are interviewing will actually be a good hire. However, sometimes those things are not always obvious.

"What you see is not always what you get and that's why it is important to be able to provide a full assessment of a candidate including traits and characteristics not readily apparent in an interview or with provided background information," says Stamoulis.

Too often interviewers become enamored with a candidate that makes a good first impression, instead of looking at relevant past performance and other indicators of leadership. In other cases, good candidates don't make a great first impression. It's important for interviewers to try to focus on what qualities are important for the position.

According to Stamoulis, here are six examples of what employers should look for in a job candidate.

1. Breadth of knowledge- A full and rich conversation covering different facets of the business, he said. "For example being able to discern how societal and economic changes are impacting or could impact the market. That shows the ability to see the big picture," he said.
2. Comfort with change- People who are not just tolerating change but embracing it, he said.
3. Balance during the interview- If the candidate only uses superlatives to describe previous performance, then he or she is not showing the ability to be self-critical and demonstrating continuous improvement and learning from mistakes, Stamoulis said.
4. What you don't say- What a candidate doesn't say in an interview is important, too. "If an interviewee doesn't mention others he or she has led and name key contributors to past successes, that might indicate he or she is taking credit for others' work and ideas, according to Stamoulis.
5. Blaming others– If a candidate blames others for failed programs and making excuses it is likely they are not taking responsibility for their behavior and actions, he said.
6. Compassion– Compassion, courage, reflection, decisiveness and the ability to pause and think before answering are all important, he said. "We're looking for a balance of traits," he explained.

CoreCentive works with organizations with helping them identify candidates that are going to be the best “fit” for a job and company culture/environment. In providing these assessments, it has directly helped organizations with reducing turnover and increasing performance. Learn more about our assessment portfolio or contacts us today to understand how the right assessment can help you with hiring the best!