Ask any employer what kind of person they are looking to hire and they will all tell you they want the ideal candidate. The problem is nailing down what “ideal” means. Different positions will have very different specific requirements, but aren’t there some characteristics that we should always be looking for? The answer is yes, there are some ideal qualities for your ideal hire. Here are the ones we think you should be looking for.

Flexibility

One of the most important characteristics of a new hire in the modern world is flexibility. The ability to adapt to new situations and processes is vital in a time when businesses must either constantly evolve or perish. When looking for your ideal candidate, no matter the position, you want to find someone with a great degree of flexibility because it also correlates to greater longevity in employment and a more valuable resource for your team.

Internal Motivation

You won’t always have time to tell someone what they should doing. Honestly, there are going to be more times than not when you are so busy you need your team members to take some initiative and run with it. You’re looking for people with a great degree of internal motivation. These candidates will quickly become invaluable as they will constantly be moving forward and looking for things to do/ways to improve.

Curiosity

Just like internal motivation, your ideal candidate should be curious. Why? Well, curiosity will drive them to learn more not only about their specific position, but about the company in general and its mission. A team member with incredible curiosity will quickly become invaluable to any organization.

Resilience

How does your candidate bounce back in the midst of hard times? Not every day in our business is going to be a good one. Things are going to get stressful and go wrong. Your ideal candidate needs to be someone who can bounce back and persevere in the tough times as well as thrive in the good ones. Resilience is becoming more talked about in professional circles and it’s something you can’t afford to ignore.

Culture Fit

Maybe the most important thing to look for in a new team member is culture fit. Your company, your team, will have a specific culture and you need someone who can fit in with it. This particular trait can be hard to identify in a simple interview, but it can be better understood by having members of your team spend some time with the candidate and get a feel for them. Bottom line, you want your ideal candidate to be a great fit for the team.

How Charles Foster Can Help YOU

If you are an employer looking to fill positions in your company, an employee looking to switch jobs, or someone looking for a brand-new role, please feel free to reach out to us. Our highly skilled team has placed thousands of qualified candidates with excellent jobs over the last 50 years. From finding the right one to being the right one – Charles Foster is here to help.