It goes without saying that a company’s success is largely determined by its employees, which is why it is extremely important to find a recruitment process that works. Finding consistency when it comes to hiring can often be difficult, but success can be found when all of those involved in the process are working from the same page.
Even then, it is very rare to be 100% sure about a candidate, as there will always be questions. For example, when hiring a graduate, you may have concerns about how quickly they will be able to adapt to office life.
Whilst many applicants may possess a similar level of education or relevant experience, the little things can often give a great insight into a candidate’s personality and character. But what exactly should employers be on the lookout for?
Look at all communication
It may seem a little unfair judging a candidate on how they communicate via email, or on the phone but it really can say a lot about a potential employee. Perhaps they make simple grammatical errors when replying to emails – it may seem small but would you accept it if they were an employee and interacting with clients?
Attention to detail is a key part of any job role and those with it stand a much greater chance of being successful. A simple mistake may not mean anything, but consistent errors can provide insight into how a candidate goes about their work on a day-to-day basis.
Are they responsive?
A new employee’s ability to adapt and quickly get up to speed with the company can often depend on their soft skills, such as organisation and reliability. Looking at how long it takes for a shortlisted candidate to respond to emails, or provide additional information or references can give an indication into how organised they are.
Check social media
More and more of our lives are uploaded for everyone to see on social media these days, so it makes sense for an employer to give it the once over and see if it can gain any insight. They may have previously bad-mouthed an employer, or may have uploaded some inappropriate images, so it can really pay to have look.
If you’re an employer looking to attract the best graduate talent, find out how Discovery Graduates can help.
