Finding 20-Somethings That Get It

The best advice is usually given by a successful person who went through difficulties, made mistakes and overcame them all. Recruiters have a difficult time determining in an interview which candidates will be successful. Candidates are on their best behavior, have custom-crafted resumes and the benefit of interview coaching that is readily available online.

Jason Nazar is one of those individuals, and he has a lot of advice for 20-somethings who want to be successful. In a Forbes article, “20 Things 20-Year-Olds Don’t Get,” he uses his own experiences as a young entrepreneur-creator of Docstoc to share his perceptions of the 20-somethings in business today. At the ripe old age of 34, his observations are important to recruiters trying to understand today’s young, bright candidates, and for those job seekers competing in a tough job market.

Nazar shares 20 observations, but here are some that recruiters can use as the basis for interview questions to discover more than just skills and experience. 

20-somethings grew up getting a prize or ribbon for being on the team or just showing up. The workplace isn’t like that. Nazar says talent is overrated. It’s results that count. Recruiters can press for specific accomplishments on the job, internships or volunteer positions. A great GPA or a string of college awards look good on a resume but may not add up to getting the job done.

Making the most of time, and doing what it takes to get the job done. Nazar used to burn the midnight (3 a.m.) oil as an entrepreneur, thinking he was working hard and being productive. He found he was fooling himself, since he was most productive during the day working as a team with staff instead of being the “Lone Ranger” after everyone was gone. How does the candidate manage his time? Is she a real team player? Ask about the last project she completed with a team. 

Not everything is best done on a computer. You want to communicate? Pick up the phone. When the Internet goes down (and it will) 20-somethings think it’s time to go home. Pick up a phone and talk to a co-worker or customer. Better yet, talk face-to-face. Interpersonal communication is becoming rare in a world of texting, Smartphones and email. Ask your candidate what he would do if he came in to work one day without any Internet. How would he get the job done?

Another piece of advice—don’t wait to be told what to do. This isn’t as much about going the extra mile as being able to assess a situation, determine what needs to be done and doing it. Successful people are problem solvers and doers. How much initiative does a candidate have? Are they risk takers? Craft some questions to assess if the candidate is confident enough to take initiative. Is he a leader, or does he have the potential to become one?

Everyone makes mistakes, but few are able to take responsibility and not become defensive. Some 20-somethings have difficulty with feedback. They see it as critical and judgmental instead of valuable, positive coaching. Has the candidate made a mistake on the job? (a “no” answer could end the interview and make you wonder about his honesty level). How did he turn it around? What did he learn from it? Mistakes happen, and so should learning valuable lessons on how not to repeat the situation.

There are many more, but one should be on every recruiter’s list. “What was the last book you read, and what did you learn from it?” You’ll find out if the candidate has depth, or if they just spend their time tweeting, texting and posting on Facebook. Fun stuff, but not the thing that will expand their knowledge and challenge their thinking. 

Whether it’s a hard cover from the library or a digital version for their Kindle, readers are leaders. The discipline of reading and the ability to concentrate to read a book says something about a candidate. Finding out how much 20-something candidates know or don’t know can help choose the best candidate for the job.

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