As a manager, I’m always on the look-out for the performance of my team and also the opportunity to add someone new that might take our companies and brands to a higher level. I happen to be one of those executives that are never satisfied and is always striving to achieve higher results.
All of this means that I have the opportunity regularly to meet new people who could potentially join my team. At any given time, I could be in the process of interviewing anyone who could enter into my team as a junior member and even seasoned professional. Recently, I’ve been hiring experienced professionals, and they’re doing an excellent job. A lot of the reason this is happening is because I’m always on the look-out for qualities that go beyond their resume and work experience.
If you’re thinking about your next job opportunity, you should be aware of the qualities that managers are looking for when they hire.
Confidence
It doesn’t matter if someone who just got out of high school or has been in the business world for decades; it’s essential to believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else? I’ve seen people whom I’ve interviewed, and they have not appeared nervous, and the only tell was when I’ve gotten up to shake their hand, which was perspiring, after the interview. That’s fine. Fear or nerves are a natural part of life, but confidence comes from the knowledge that you will overcome this challenge and anything else that you face and so you’re comfortable in your skin.
Personality
One of my recent hires had a lot to do with personality. I had a gut feeling that this person was going to do well with the other members of my team. This individual’s character was warm and engaging. It doesn’t matter to me if someone is an introvert or an extrovert. I happen to have both types of people on my team, and they each bring different qualities to the table, which work well. However, even if they are one way or another, they all know our ethos revolves around momentum, excellence and getting the job done at the highest levels. These elements are a natural part of the personalities of the people on my team and what many managers seek in their hires.
Leadership or Initiative
Let’s face it, not everyone on your team can be a natural leader. The world takes all kinds of people, and you need the followers as well as the leaders, but everyone has to have initiative–even the followers. In my team, I want to be informed about almost everything, especially before we have to make critical decisions or something can develop into a crucial situation. When someone takes the initiative to speak up and propose something that can help us do our work better, sees a problem in the making, or offers a new idea, that initiative is leadership.
Intelligence
By intelligence, I don’t necessarily mean formal education. Candidly, I never attended college and yet became a very successful business, and we know there are countless others like me. Intelligence comes in many forms. When I speak to someone who could potentially work in my team, I’m looking for a person who demonstrates a sharp intellect in areas such as common sense, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, etc. One of the essential aspects of knowledge is curiosity. If I see someone who is naturally curious, asks questions and wants to know, learn and discover, that tells me the person in front of me is smart. I can’t tell you how often I have a candidate sitting in front of me who has not bothered to even look at my company websites. An intelligent person takes that time to do their due diligence and homework.
If you’re in the process of looking for a new work opportunity, take the time to read other articles about what managers want to see in their employees. A significant activity to do is to speak to someone who is an experienced professional and ask that person to provide you with a critique of your interviewing style. Take the time with this person to practice your interview skills, especially if you’ve never done it or are rusty.
Many people looking for a job take a lot of time reviewing and redoing their resumes, but it’s just as important to work on yourself. Stay motivated and in a positive place because that energy flows through and is sensed by others in a heartbeat. Never forget that first impressions only come around once and you want to be able to knock it out of the park.
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