No one has ever claimed that choosing the perfect recruit for an opening has been easy. If we’re completely honest with ourselves, it’s something that we spend the rest of our lives perfecting, that ability to be able to suss someone out as soon as they walk into a room. It’s not something that you can always just be able to do instantly, which is why we have put together these top five things that you should look out for in a recruit. It’s not a fool proof list, and depending on what sort of career you are looking to fill some of them may have to be altered slightly, but these top five things have come up again and again in talking to experts and professionals in our field. How many of them have you been looking out for?

Politeness to insignificants

When you invite someone for interview, you know that they are going to be polite to you. You’re the person that gets to decide their next big career step, after all! But what about the person who buzzes them in? What about the receptionist? What about the person who walks them to their interview room? You can tell a lot about a person and their approach to work by watching their politeness – or lack therefore – to people they deem insignificant.

Good personal hygiene

No one likes to work around someone who doesn’t use deodorant, and if you spot a potential recruit who has the worst teeth you’ve ever seen, it can often be an indicator that they simply don’t care about the small important things – an attitude that could manifest in their job. However, after talking to Dr Paige Woods (a San Diego dental expert), she’s pointed out that many adults choose orthodontics at a later stage in life, so it may be worth considering that.

No fear under pressure

When you push them on their CV, ask for a few further details, challenge them in an answer that they have already given, do they completely crumble? Do they look at the door in the hope that the interview is going to be interrupted, or do they meet the challenge head on and give you a brilliant answer? That is the sort of recruit that you are looking for, someone who relishes a challenge, not shy away from it. You could find that no fear under pressure is the most important thing to look for.

Dedication to training

Who wants an employee who is content to remain exactly as they are? Training and further development is a key part of a job, no matter what sector you’re in, and so finding someone who has placed a similar focus on it before they have come to you is essential. Don’t be afraid of asking direct questions about their training and ambitions.

A thirst for the job

At the end of the day, do they really want it? Are they desperate for it? Is your company the one that they have wanted to work at for years, and this is the first opportunity in their career to be able to do so? Those are the sorts of recruits that you want, and that is just something that you’ll need to be able to sniff out of a good candidate. Someone who will do anything for the role, and will be loyal to you and the company for the next decade: that is the sort of recruit that you should be grabbing with both hands.

About the author - PaigeWoods.com