Picking A Good Candidate

By Rachel Andrea Ko Go
Writer, Profiles Asia Pacific

When people do work that suits them, where they shine and they’re connected to their power source, the work is better and the wins are bigger. – Liz Ryan

When selecting a good candidate, employers and human resources managers have to look beyond a resume and cover letter to the skills and personality of each candidate. Holistic hiring takes into account what a person likes to do, in addition to what they are good at doing. Someone who has skill in one field and no passion with produce flawless work that has been produced hundreds of times before, with no originality. The benefits of using assessment tools when hiring include gaining candidates who will be innovative, who suit the position, the company culture, and who will work well with their teammates.

Some questions to ask before you hire someone:

• What is the candidate best at?
• What is the candidate interested in?
• How does the candidate work in teams with a clear leader? What about in teams with no leader?
• Can the candidate work independently?
• Is the candidate well-rounded? Does he or she have experience outside of work, such as volunteer or internship experience?
• Is the candidate likely to slack off, or become unhealthily engrossed in their work?

Last but not least, if no qualified applicants are found at the end of the selection process, consider spending a little more time and money searching rather than hiring someone who may not be qualified.

Remember to look at performance indicators based on research and studies, critical behaviors, reasoning, interests and aptitude of a candidate.