Desired Candidate Attributes That Every Employer Looks For

It is a common misconception among the general population that a job interview or the recruitment process is purely based on competencies and skills needed for the job as enlisted by the employer. Any well-versed employer who is constantly involved in the process of interviewing thousands of potential candidates would say otherwise.

Interacting with the candidate provides the employer with the basic idea about an individual’s personal and ethical insights. These factors hold a high weightage, especially in the current environment of failing human contact and communication. Here are a few key attributes that can help you make a better impression as a candidate. These will help you be aware of what employers actually look for while carrying out a recruitment drive.

Why are interviews being held?

There is a reason why there are still interviews that stick to methods involving an actual person-to-person interaction, be it online or on offline modes. If it is just the work efficiency and skill level of the individual who is being tested, probably some form of the test, even by a written paper, should suffice. 

That is not the case because apart from your job-based potential, there are several other aspects that can only be scrutinized while meeting with an individual. This is especially true in the field of management. Several individuals take up management courses online, but they still have to be individually interviewed to get recruited. In most recruitment situations in the current days when a huge number of candidates score exceptional marks or a score in the preliminary assessments, these interviews are what separate those who are hired from the general crowd.

Self-directed workers with a strong drive

With the current scenario of the increased number of streams and courses, people are prone to shift career paths intermittently. However, this might not be a preferred trait for employers who usually look for candidates with a set goal, as it is stability that matters most to them.

An employee with a strong motivation to succeed with the career that they are absolutely fixed upon brings about a sense of dedication and self-direction. Such self-directed individuals are usually easy to manage and are highly sought after by firms. They usually prove to be self-sufficient and tend to manage their time and schedule better as they are genuinely concerned and interested in doing their job in the best way possible.

Being highly motivated and always staying on a positive note is also preferred by several firms these days. This is because most of the jobs out there require people to work in teams, where motivation is absolutely key in order to succeed. A positively motivated person keeps his or her team in a good place at all times, thereby bringing out the best possible level of efficiency from the team.

Being open to new information

An ideal candidate is ready to spend enough time improving and upgrading his or her skill set or knowledge in order to match the current trends in the environment. With the current increase in the number of research projects and technical developments being implemented in almost all the fields, highly up-to-date individuals with all the new information seem desirable to employers.

This is because when an individual is interested in learning new skills and information on their own, the firm ultimately benefits them. This saves them the time and energy spent teaching the employees themselves or arranging necessary programs and skill training sessions. Apart from just the job aspect of it all, being informed about whatever is happening in one’s environment can be a desirable characteristic in several personal aspects as well.

Problem-solving abilities and lateral thinking

With the current environment being highly competitive, being laded up with theoretical knowledge is not sufficient in any situation. Employers require their candidates to solve any complex problems that might arise in the firm or be assigned to the individual with highly effective and fool-proof methods.

This is where techniques of lateral thinking, or, in simpler terms, “thinking out of the box,” come in handy. Basically, these methods force an individual to look at a single issue or problem from several aspects and points of view, thereby making it easier to come up with a solution. Approaching any situation with such an open mind provides an added guarantee of making an accurate decision regarding any issue.

Lateral thinking makes use of all possible views that can be generated while keeping a single issue in mind. This involves the usage of peculiar methods like coming up with various answers and solutions for a single existing concern, working backward from an available answer to acquire the question, and asking for suggestions from multiple individuals regarding an issue and analyzing them to get to a final conclusion, etc.

A proactive nature

Being proactive refers to the tendency of being interested in solving any problems that might arise or are posed to a team with increased involvement, rather than just doing it for the sake of it. 

Being proactive can also include taking up additional responsibilities that are not really necessary but add to the individual’s overall efficiency and work quality. Since it directly affects the work of the individual, it is ultimately an exquisite advantage to the business or firm involved. 

Especially individuals who pursue courses in bachelors of business administration online are required to be highly active and consistently acquire new skills and knowledge regarding their field. This is because business administration is an up-and-coming field, undergoing several new research every day, making it unavoidable for the involved individuals to stay on their toes.

Teamwork is key

With the current updates in the work environment and a massive increase in the number of employees that form the workforce of an establishment, being able to work in teams is a vital trait. Any individual these days is required to perform well in groups of people, be it small or larger groups, which are purely due to the increased demands required to be met by the firm overall.

An efficient team player acts as a vital asset to a firm, as he or she would play a major part in acquiring new projects for the firm or attracting better clients based on their best quality teamwork, thereby acting as significant beneficiaries. Working in teams used to be an added advantage in the past, but currently, it could even be called a bare necessity to get a job in a good company.

Conclusion

The current work environment has made the job recruitment process tedious and stressful; however, once an individual is competent enough and possesses adequate skills and the desired traits mentioned above, securing a decent job should not be so troublesome. 

It also does not hurt to keep several additional course certifications handy, like an added course in data management and analysis could be helpful for a data scientist just looking to land an entry-level job. With the easier availability of such resources across several online platforms, this should be an effective method to boost your resume as well as your overall image. Check out Great Learning for more information on courses and related training.