Chances are, your selection criteria for potential new hires is pretty rational. On the whole, they are probably even relevant to the job at hand. You’re primarily concerned with a candidate’s knowledge, capability and past performance, yes, and narrowing the field based on those criteria is simple enough. The resume is chock-full of accomplishments, or tellingly void of them. Applicants either fulfill the requirements for education and level of experience or get tossed in the circular file cabinet. A series of interviews sheds light on contenders’ preparedness and professionalism.
But if you’ve found yourself making determinations about candidates by a less traditional yardstick, you’re not alone. More than 2,000 hiring managers weighed in on a recent survey conducted by CareerBuilder and revealed some of the most common – while subjective – criteria by which hiring authorities assess candidates.
When asked which factors would make them more likely to consider one candidate above another, equally qualified individual, participants responded that the applicant most likely to come out on top would:
- Have a sense of humor (27 percent)
- Be involved in the community (26 percent)
- Be well dressed (22 percent)
- Have a commonality with the hiring manager (21 percent)
- Be physically fit (13 percent)
- Have an understanding of current affairs and pop culture (8 percent)
- Be involved in social media (7 percent)
- Be knowledgeable about sports (4 percent)
The bottom line is that excellent employees succeed on at least two fronts: they perform well and they mix and play well with others. One arena can be as important as the other in finding someone who will be an asset to your organization for the long haul.
Published by Conselium Executive Search, the global leader in compliance search.
