In recent years, the well-known soft skills have become a priority for human resources departments. But how do you sort through all the behavioural skills? Here are top 5 qualities to look for when recruiting an employee.
#1 Showing an interest
Not everyone can be passionate about their job, but showing some interest in the subject or sector is essential for creating and maintaining motivation. Beyond their technical skills, do candidates show a particular fascination for the job? Does he or she ask questions about the activity or the position? There is no doubt that the curiosity that animates the candidate during the interview says a lot about his/her level of enthusiasm.
#2 Having a team spirit
Of course, your employee will not necessarily be working as part of a team, especially if this is a first recruitment. But they will be working with you and there's no guarantee that you won't be hiring more people in the future. Finally, this new employee will no doubt have to work with partners, suppliers or service providers with whom he/she will have to collaborate closely. Listen out for their turns of phrase. Do they sometimes say “we” to describe their past successes, or just “I”?
#3 Having a desire to learn
Although they obviously remain important, technical skills are now far from enough. After all, these can be learned. And, furthermore, linear careers are over. In the future, a person will have to reinvent themselves several times in the course of their life. To do so, they will need to be flexible and motivated... to learn!
#4 Being a good communicator
They don’t need to be a professional speaker - they just need to be able to clearly state their thoughts, either orally or in writing. But they also need to be able to listen to what the people they are talking to are saying, and to ask them the right questions. This will avoid any misunderstanding and therefore any conflict or loss of time. Do not hesitate to test the candidate during the interview, for example by means of a role-play.
#5 Being in tune with your corporate culture
Don't forget to take into account your future employee’s expectations. It has been proven that a happy employee is more motivated and therefore more productive. Is your organization and workspace suitable for the candidate sitting across the table from you? Is the relationship you plan to establish with them satisfactory from their point of view? Are their values in line with yours? These are a few examples of questions that are best answered before hiring an employee for the long term, otherwise you may end up faced with unpleasant surprises.
