How The Best Managers Identify Talent

In today’s world, it can be hard to find the right person for your company. As a recruiter, you must consider all sorts of different factors, such as a candidate’s background, attitude, and whether or not they’re a good fit for the company. How can you ensure that you’re finding the best person for this job? 

1. Look in the right places
If you’re recruiting for a fashion company, you likely won’t find a good candidate in someone who wants to work in computer science. The easiest way to find someone who is interested is to advertise the position. Create a “Careers” section on your website where people can easily find job opportunities at your company. Or post your jobs online where your audience is sure to be searching. 

2. Prioritize In-person and Unbiased Interviews
In-person interviews offer information that can’t be conveyed online, such as body language and social skills. This is important if you’re interviewing for a customer service job or a similar job that requires talking to people. There is also no potential for network issues and less of a chance for miscommunication. However, it’s important to remember that in-person interviews run the risk of bias. Keep an open mind during the interview. Furthermore, in-person interviews are not an option for those who live far away or don't have easy access to transportation. While it’s important to prioritize in-person interviews, it’s also important to keep in mind what is most beneficial for the person you are interviewing.

3. Check for adaptability
The best workers are able to adapt quickly. It’s an important trait in today’s workforce. Simulate a situation that might happen to someone in your job field and ask your candidate to troubleshoot. What would they do? How do they react? Simulating a real-life scenario is one of the most effective ways to see whether a candidate is the right fit for your company.

4. How good can your candidate explain complex topics in simple terms?
A truly smart person not only understands complex topics, but also knows how to explain the topics in a simple way. During the hiring process, ask your candidate to pretend to explain a complex topic to someone who knows nothing about it. See how well your candidate is able to articulate their knowledge in a simple way that’s easy to understand. As Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

5. Focus on what the candidate can offer, not what you want from the candidate
No candidate is perfect, nor has every skill that the company needs. Instead of focusing on the talent you need and trying to fit the candidate into an impossible box, focus on what the candidate has to offer to the company. You may find that the candidate possesses skills and talents that you didn’t even know the company needs.

At the end of the day, every candidate is different. What works for one candidate might not work for the next, and that’s alright. What’s important is you focus on what’s best for the company and the candidate.