3 common qualities top job candidates share

In our previous article Will a candidate fit your culture? Why the answer is important, I talked about how to hire an applicant that’s a “cultural fit” for your company. While an employee’s cultural assimilation plays an important role in his or her success, it’s also crucial to assess a candidate based on other personality traits. What qualities are important? According to an interview with Lenny Lebovich, the CEO of a startup that grew 400% within a single year, here are the core qualities to look for.

1. Hire passionate people who take pride in their work
If a candidate is passionate about what they do, you can be fairly certain they’ll bring that same passion to your workplace. Lebovich noted, “I hire genuine people, good people first, that also have a passion for what they do, someone who will run through a wall to get done what needs to get done.”

How do you hire for passion? Look for candidates who really love what they do. To determine if a candidate is passionate, ask questions about their industry influences. For example, if you’re hiring a graphic designer, ask the candidate, “What are your favorite books on design? Who is your favorite well known graphic designer?” A candidate who can answer these questions cares about their industry and will likely put their heart and soul into their work.

2. Listen to how candidates talk about their former employer
How does the candidate speak about their former job, colleagues and company culture? Do they have nice things to say? How a candidate talks about their former employer can reveal much about their personality. “I have found that people worth hiring always try to find the positive in a situation. Even if a former work experience wasn’t all that great, they own their experiences and look for the lessons learned. Small things like that can give you a good sense of what sort of employee they would be at your company,” said Lebovich. A candidate who is diplomatic toward their former employer and can explain how their previous role helped him or her grow, will likely bring that same respect and inquisitiveness to your workplace.

3. They’re results orientated
Lebovich explains that you want to hire employees who own their role and understand the impact of their actions, “If a few people want to have a game of Ping-Pong at 10:30 a.m., they can go ahead and do that – as long as they’re driving results.” How do you hire for results? You can see it on the resume most of the time. But if it’s not there, you can simply ask the candidate, “What were your biggest accomplishments in your previous job.” If the candidate can name them easily, you likely have a winner.

Finding the right candidate in Thailand can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. You just need to know what to look for. Search for these three characteristics above, and you’re well on the right track. To find strong candidates for your company, why not get help from one of Thailand’s top recruitment firms? Criterion’s consultants have experience finding the perfect candidate, know the right questions to ask, and can identify the qualities of success. Get help finding your next outstanding employee. Contact us today.