How to Spot Promise in a Potential Employee

Hiring can be a difficult task at times, particularly when you aren't 100 percent sure the characteristics you are looking for or the qualities you really seek. Although many employers would agree that hiring a skilled, qualified and experienced employee is a guaranteed bet, other factors must be considered. Keep in mind, the promise in a potential employee cannot necessarily be seen on his or her resume.

When it is your job to interview potential employees, day in and day out, you kind of develop a knack for being able to spot potential. Again, when I say potential, I'm not talking simply about which individual has the highest skill level or the most experience. What I'm referring to is being able to determine which of the potential employees you are interviewing is going to be of the greatest benefit to you and your company? Which individual will be willing to work the hardest, excel at the tasks he or she is given, and become part of your dedicated team? How do you spot these precious gems? What type of people do you want to avoid?

If you know how to spot promise in a potential employee, you'll have a much greater chance of being able to successfully staff your office, build your company up and ultimately succeed.

Signs You Have a Motivated Job Applicant

Spotting a motivated job applicant doesn't take much when you know the signs. Much of what will tell you whether an applicant is motivated or not is in what he or she says. Be careful not to overlook these key signs when doing job interviews, or you may miss out on potentially wonderful assets.

• Expresses sincere interest in the company, what it does and how they fit in.
• Talks about their own strengths and skills, and how this would help in aiding the company's expansion and success once they are brought on board.
• Speaks about their motivation, i.e. why they got into this particular profession and the goals they would like to achieve (both personally and as part of your group).
• Has a personal conviction about their potential position and willingness to do the tasks assigned.

What to Watch Out for During the Interview Process

Once you have reviewed a person's resume and determined he or she may be a potential candidate for a specific position within your company, your next step is to schedule an interview. Spotting promise during this interview is easy, so long as you know to watch out for these tell-tale signs:

• Is the individual more concerned with the benefits he or she will be getting?
• Is the individual talking a lot about time off? Schedules? Over-time?
• Does he or she seem to have attention on what the bare minimum is to get paid?
• Does the individual seem more interested in what he or she will get from the company, rather than what he or she can lend to its success?
• Is the individual more interested in personal gain than providing an excellent service to the company and its public?

These are all potential signs an individual is less duty-motivated and not quite as team-oriented as you may want. What you want is to hire an employee who not only has integrity, personal conviction and takes pride in his or her own work, but one who realizes the success of the company is beneficial to all. Those individuals who are willing to work hard to contribute towards your company's growth are worth their weight in gold. Let the others go. They'll only pull you down in the long run.

Finding the Right Fit

Good employees do exist, if you know what to look for and where to look. The People Link is a professional recruitment service specializing in finding and placing qualified healthcare candidates in positions throughout the 50 states. To find out more about the services we offer, please visit our website or call 888-773-0014 for a free, no-obligation consultation.