What do Hiring Managers really look for?

As a recruiter, I have had the privilege of interviewing several hiring managers from the tech sector to understand their perspective on what makes a good candidate, the top qualities they look for during an interview, and what makes a candidate fail a technical interview. I asked several Hiring Managers the same 3 questions, and here are some of the insights I gathered from these interviews.

Question # 1: “What Makes a Good Candidate?”

When asked what makes a good candidate, most hiring managers emphasized the importance of having the right skills and experience for the job. However, they also highlighted that a good candidate should possess certain soft skills that align with the company's culture and values. These soft skills include:

• Adaptability: The ability to learn new things quickly and adapt to changes in the work environment is highly valued by hiring managers. This is not only limited to learning new things but also adapting to changes especially in a start-up environment. Hiring managers look for people who will stick with them though good times and bad times and help the company achieve its goals.

• Communication Skills: Effective communication is critical in any workplace. A good candidate should be able to articulate their thoughts and ideas clearly and listen attentively to others. Most candidates would often give a straight to the point or one liner answer which might not exactly deliver the message that you are trying to deliver. Be sure to elaborate you and explain your thought process especially if you are applying for a client facing role, leadership role or something that involves dealing with stakeholders.

• Problem-Solving Skills: Companies value employees who can solve problems and find creative solutions to challenges they face in the workplace. When asked about situation-based questions, be sure to explain what the problem was, what was your solution and what was your thought process in coming up with the solution. One tip is to implement the STAR Method. It means describing the Situation, Task, Action, and Result.

• Teamwork: The ability to work collaboratively with others towards a common goal is highly valued by employers in any industry. No employer would want to hire someone that would not be able to work well with the team. It is very important that you show to the hiring manager that you are someone that can work well with any teams and someone that can get along with different people in different levels in the organization.

• Work Ethic: Hiring managers appreciate candidates who demonstrate a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a willingness to go above and beyond their job responsibilities. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to be the person to always leave the office last. Work ethics also be something about how you handle a certain situation. When asked these kinds of questions, always make sure to showcase what your work style is, what kind of personality you have and your thought process in making a decision or how you would approach certain challenges or situation.

Question # 2: “What Are the Top 3 Qualities of a Candidate That You Look for During an Interview?”

When asked about the top qualities they look for during an interview, the hiring managers unanimously mentioned the following:

Technical Skills: Hiring managers want to ensure that the candidate has the right technical skills for the job. They expect the candidate to have a strong understanding of the job requirements and the necessary technical knowledge. Hiring manager are also looking at how trainable the person is. Let’s face it, none of us knows it all and can do it all, and hiring managers knows it. It is very important to show to the interviewer that you are someone that can be trained especially if you are joining the company as an entry or mid-level.

Cultural Fit: Hiring managers are looking for candidates who align with the company's culture and values. They want to hire employees who share the same vision and can work collaboratively with their team. Being culturally fit to the organization makes it easier for the hiring managers and people in the organization to work with you because you share the same vision and values as them. One tip is to do research about the company and understand what they do and showcase how you can contribute to achieve their goals.

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Problem-Solving Ability: Hiring managers want to assess the candidate's problem-solving skills during an interview. They will ask questions that require the candidate to demonstrate their ability to think critically and come up with solutions to complex problems. Problem solving questions is your time to shine as this is one of the ways hiring managers really get a glimpse of who you are and what you are capable of. When as these kinds of hypothetical or scenario-based questions, make sure to implement the STAR Method.

Attitude: For most of the hiring managers, attitude is one of the most important things for them. Attitude is not only limited to your demeanor during the interview, but it is also about how you answer the questions, how you take feedback during the interview and how you look at things. Attitude is very hard to gauge during the interview, especially during virtual interviews. My tip is to be positive, be calm smile and be confident during the interview. These can influence how you answer questions and can influence the hiring manager’s first impression of you.

Question # 3: “What Makes a Candidate Fail a Technical Interview?”

When asked about what makes a candidate fail a technical interview, the hiring managers mentioned the following reasons:

Lack of Technical Skills: Candidates who lack the necessary technical skills for the job will not be able to perform well during a technical interview. When applying for a job, be sure to read the job description carefully and look at the requirements of the job. If there are few things on the job description that you might not have worked on or experienced before, be transparent to the hiring manager and share what you know and what you don’t know. Avoid trying to google some answers during a virtual interview as it can only do you harm than good.

Poor Communication: Candidates who cannot clearly articulate their thoughts or ideas will have difficulty conveying their technical knowledge during an interview. It is very important that you can clearly articulate and deliver the message that you want to say. Poor communication is not only limited to being able to speak a fluent language, but it is about how you deliver a message. One tip is to avoid using single liner answer or beating around the bush.

Lack of Preparation: Candidates who do not prepare adequately for the technical interview may struggle to answer technical questions, leading to poor performance. Interview preparation is very important, and it can be a deal breaker for the hiring managers. Regardless of if you do have several interviews on going at the same time, it is very important that you do enough research about the company and about the role. If you need some help in preparing for the interview, ask your Recruiter to give you some insights about the company, the role and most importantly, the hiring manager.

Not saying “I don’t know”: Believe it or not, not all hiring managers are looking for a perfect fit candidate. They know the fact that there are things that they are looking for that you might not know. Hence why it is very important to be honest with what you know and what you don’t know. However, it is also very important to show the hiring manager that you are highly trainable, and you are willing to learn. Being honest and enthusiastic can go a long way!

In conclusion, not all hiring managers are looking for a Unicorn. When invited for the interview, be sure to put your best foot forward. Prepare, do your best and make sure that you stay calm, collected, concise and don’t forget to smile! Who knows, your next interview might be a company where you can grow! All the best in your next interview!

If you want to know more about interview tips and market insights, email me at [email protected]