5 Key Human Criteria for Successful Job Interviews
12 June 2014
Read by 2751 persons
It is not easy for a manager to decide which employee to recruit, especially when that employee will be taking on a position of responsibility. It is true that first impressions play an important role, but intuition is not always a very reliable criterion.
Beyond the technical aspects, "human" criteria are just as important to avoid costly mistakes that a bad casting choice can lead to. Here are the 5 most important selection criteria to consider to help you recruit the "right" candidate.
Motivation
It is important to find out why the candidate wants to work for your company and why they want this particular position. Test their knowledge of your activities. If they haven't bothered to find out about your company and the position beforehand and don't show real enthusiasm, question their real motivation.
Curiosity
Curiosity is an asset in all areas of employment. It is important to take this into account during your recruitment interviews. If the candidate demonstrates that their knowledge and interests are diverse, this is a good point showing that they will easily integrate into a new environment and will be able to adapt to changing situations.
Responsibility
Candidates who you feel are the type to wait to be told what to do and need a "father figure" have no place in the company. For a position of responsibility or not, the candidate must be able to take initiative and be autonomous. You can assess these criteria by asking them to tell you about projects they have implemented in their past experiences and by taking into account the relevance of the questions they will also ask you during the interview.
Mobility
Mobility, especially if your company operates internationally, is a selection criterion not to be overlooked. Candidates willing to move from one region to another demonstrate a certain flexibility and ambition. If you sense that the candidate has reservations, take this into account; it is rare that they will change their mind later.
Verbal Communication
Ease of speaking is also a criterion not to be neglected. Pay attention to the structure of the candidate's answers, the precision of the vocabulary used, the tone and speed. The expressions used are important. Especially the formal "vous" form is appropriate. At a certain level of responsibility, you cannot afford to recruit someone who is uncomfortable and unable to express themselves correctly in front of an audience; this would compromise the very image of your company.
Beyond the interview, reference checks and personality tests are relevant ways to inform or confirm the points you may have noticed face-to-face.
Take the time to check with the shortlisted candidate's former employers the quality of their performance and interpersonal relationships before making a final decision. This will save you from unpleasant surprises.
Without being a determining decision criterion, tests of values, motivations and personality can shed light on the candidate's behavioral and managerial skills. And if the test results do not match your own perception of the person, ask yourself…
Philippe Montant
General Manager of ReKrute
Beyond the technical aspects, "human" criteria are just as important to avoid costly mistakes that a bad casting choice can lead to. Here are the 5 most important selection criteria to consider to help you recruit the "right" candidate.
Motivation
It is important to find out why the candidate wants to work for your company and why they want this particular position. Test their knowledge of your activities. If they haven't bothered to find out about your company and the position beforehand and don't show real enthusiasm, question their real motivation.
Curiosity
Curiosity is an asset in all areas of employment. It is important to take this into account during your recruitment interviews. If the candidate demonstrates that their knowledge and interests are diverse, this is a good point showing that they will easily integrate into a new environment and will be able to adapt to changing situations.
Responsibility
Candidates who you feel are the type to wait to be told what to do and need a "father figure" have no place in the company. For a position of responsibility or not, the candidate must be able to take initiative and be autonomous. You can assess these criteria by asking them to tell you about projects they have implemented in their past experiences and by taking into account the relevance of the questions they will also ask you during the interview.
Mobility
Mobility, especially if your company operates internationally, is a selection criterion not to be overlooked. Candidates willing to move from one region to another demonstrate a certain flexibility and ambition. If you sense that the candidate has reservations, take this into account; it is rare that they will change their mind later.
Verbal Communication
Ease of speaking is also a criterion not to be neglected. Pay attention to the structure of the candidate's answers, the precision of the vocabulary used, the tone and speed. The expressions used are important. Especially the formal "vous" form is appropriate. At a certain level of responsibility, you cannot afford to recruit someone who is uncomfortable and unable to express themselves correctly in front of an audience; this would compromise the very image of your company.
Beyond the interview, reference checks and personality tests are relevant ways to inform or confirm the points you may have noticed face-to-face.
Take the time to check with the shortlisted candidate's former employers the quality of their performance and interpersonal relationships before making a final decision. This will save you from unpleasant surprises.
Without being a determining decision criterion, tests of values, motivations and personality can shed light on the candidate's behavioral and managerial skills. And if the test results do not match your own perception of the person, ask yourself…
Philippe Montant
General Manager of ReKrute
