It’s interview day. Your diary is cleared, the meeting room is ready and your coffee is hot in your favourite mug. But like any other first date, it can be difficult to objectively measure how well it’s going. Team Jiggle have put together a few clues to help you get the most of interviewing.
They turn up
Obvious, but there are a surprising amount of no shows. It’s a basic, but if they arrive on time, nicely presented and with a smile on their face they clearly have a genuine interest in the role. Which is quite a good start.
They’ve done their research
It’ll become clear pretty quickly if they’ve done more than read the job advert. They’ll display a knowledge of the company and the role, and ask some pertinent questions about both. If they’re already invested, they’re more likely to hit the ground running if employed, making an impact sooner rather than later.
They have a good attitude
Listen out for enthusiasm and positivity. And if you find them easy to get along with, odds are the rest of the team will too. Each company has its own unique culture, and the best candidate on paper might not be a good fit personality wise. Likewise, you might find someone who’s CV didn’t seem as strong wows you with their articulate responses, understanding of the business and drive to make a contribution.
There’s positive history
If they can give good examples of previous accomplishments and take obvious pride in their work it’s a great sign that they’re motivated by achievements and care about what they do. It’s a good indicator that they’re looking for a role that’s about more than paying the bills. If they have a track record in your industry that’s also a major green flag.
They’re honest
They have an example of owning a behaviour they’ve addressed, or acknowledge areas they’d like to improve upon. They can give an example of a challenging situation and how they’re learned from it. Emotional intelligence enables people to engage effectively with colleagues and clients, and interpersonal skills are universally important in any role.
They have ideas
They come armed with suggestions for how they would approach the role, and specific tasks they would focus on. This not only demonstrates that they’ve done their homework, but that they are a proactive personality driven by making a positive impact.
They’re open to learning
They display a desire to learn and develop. Experience is great, complacency is not. People that acknowledge they don’t yet know it all and are open to sharing with and learning from colleagues show potential to grow with your company and help it progress as part of the team. A willingness to learn new skills demonstrates self-awareness and the confidence to progress professionally to the benefit of the company.
They can solve problems
It’s great to hear from people who naturally focus on ‘how can we fix this’, overcoming barriers with confidence, rather than ignoring problems and finding excuses. Any examples of problem-solving in the interview means they’ll make a great member of the team, and driving positive solutions and innovation in others.
Finding your unicorn
There are unicorns in recruitment; elusive creatures that are everything you were looking for and a few extra things you didn’t even know you wanted. If you find one, and manage to catch one, look after it and don’t let it fly away! Look out for the wings at interview stage.
