Are You the Right “Fit”?

By Erika Weinstein, President, Stephen Bradford Search

After they complete an interview, candidates we place sometimes call me to provide their opinion on how well it went.  Often, a candidate communicates that they did a great job interviewing, they are very interested in the position and that basically, the company should hire them because they have all the necessary skills in the job description. 

Subsequently, of course, I’ll speak with my client, the hiring manager.  Very often, he or she will say that the candidate has all the right skills and experience to do the job, but that they didn’t necessarily win them over.  

Last week, for example, a very qualified sales executive went on second interviews with my client, but instead of wowing the partners, like she did on her first interview with the hiring manager, she turned them all off.  How?  She had the right skills, but she didn’t demonstrate that she is a team player and that she’d be ‘fun’ to work with, even though these particular, intangible skills were not requirements in the position description.

Unfortunately, employers are not always realistic in what they are looking for in a ‘perfect’ candidate.  Truth be told, there are no “perfect” candidates, nor are there “perfect” positions either.  After a hiring manager assesses whether a candidate is qualified and has the “right” skills and background to succeed, a constant theme seems to always emerge: They’re looking for candidates who they can relate to and may be easier to work with - basically the “fit.”

Clients who are consistently good at hiring talent are the ones who look for the “soft” or intangible qualities as much as they do the more tangible ones.  These intangibles include: leadership, sense of humor, or “playing well with others.”  Candidates who communicate their intangible “soft” skills better usually have a strong competitive advantage, especially in this tough job market. When we come down to the wire with similar backgrounds and core competencies, the one who comes across as a “team player,” or can “multitask,” is more likely to be the one who has better communicated their soft skills.  Invariably, that is the person who gets an offer.

The intrinsic value that successful candidates bring to the table isn’t necessarily in the job description. It may be the skills and background that gets an interview, but it’s the ability to see the real values and culture of the company that lands the job.  And in the case of my client and candidate, the partners of the company wanted a team player.

What Qualities Make the Difference between landing an interview and getting hired?

Self-Starter - Employers appreciate people who don’t need to be told what to do and can set their own responsibilities and follow all the way through.  Candidates need to be prepared for an interview with stories illustrating their self-starter capabilities.

Communicator - The ability to write a clear memo or email, give understandable directions verbally, and drive efficient meetings are desirable and necessary skills.

Multi-Tasking - Most professionals have multiple job duties, especially in these times. In an atmosphere prevalent with layoffs, hiring managers are especially reassured knowing a candidate can take on even mundane tasks that are usually delegated to junior staff.

Team Player - Playing well in the “sandbox” is a key quality.  Even if the position isn’t part of a team, people still want to know how candidates collaborate with others, even if they don’t have people reporting to them.

Leadership – Whether candidates are hired in a leadership position or not, employers are looking for future managers and they will tend to hire people who demonstrate qualities that inspire others.

Sense of Humor – People tend to hire candidates who are down-to-earth, have a sense of humor about themselves and can defuse intense situations with light-heartedness.

These qualities are perhaps the ones needed most to land a job today, yet they are difficult to articulate on a resume.  It’s on an interview where candidates need to demonstrate that they possess the right soft skills, not necessarily described in a position specification, but undoubtedly what hiring managers are probing for. The best way to convey soft skills in an interview is to give a hard example from particular, empirical situations.