What I Look for in a Candidate

It's been a month and I apologize. We had a big contest going on and that took priority for me. Expect to start seeing a newsletter every week from here on out though.

Having a set, robotic routine when recruiting doesn't work anymore. Candidates know when recruiters are going through a set presentation just like we know when a candidate is giving us a routine set of answers. We need to be different in the way we approach things just like we expect of our candidates before and after they join our company or team.

Over my 5 years recruiting in the insurance industry, I've hired many superstars and a few people that didn't work out too. As much as I want to hire only the superstars, I know that a mix will continue to come my way. Over the years though, I developed 3 key characteristics that I look for whenever I'm considering bringing someone on my team. By pinpointing down to 3 key things that I'm looking for, I'm able to move on from candidates that aren't a fit quickly and begin spending my time with ones that are.

First - Strong Body Language

This one may seem like a weird thing consider in a first interaction but body language can tell you everything you want to know about someone. If their shoulders and feet are positioned towards you, than they are engaged and listening to what you are saying. Are their palms open and out in front of them and not hidden away or under their armpits? Do they move towards you or lean in when speaking? Are they leaning back and seeming unattentive? These seem like little things but they tell you so much.

If they exhibit bad habits with you, is this how they treat their customers or are they just uninterested in what you have to say? The key thing that we have to remember is that we are working with sales professionals and true professionals know how to present themselves in order to close the deal. Customers want to work with someone they like and studies show that they look at the body language from everyone they work with from car sales professionals, insurance agents, and all the way to waiters/waitresses. If they are going to present themselves poorly to you then they are likely doing it to everyone they interact with.

Second- Confident vs. Cocky

The difference between confident and cocky is very small, but if you listen to a few details, you can quickly tell which one is which.

Confidence can be defined as a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something. On the other hand, someone who is cocky is defined as a boldly or brashly self-confident. Why don't I want to work with the cocky person? In my past, I've learned that I can't teach them anything. They already know everything and won't be open to any knowledge you could provide. I don't want that kind of relationship. When I'm looking to bring someone on to my team, I want it to be a "two-way street" type of relationship.I'd like to learn from them as much as they could learn from me.

What makes a person confident but not cocky? True confidence comes from someone's pride and belief in their own abilities and prior achievements. A confident person isn't afraid to admit their mistakes and want to learn from them, they don't act like they are superior to others, and most importantly they posses an inner calm that shows off their self assurance. A truly confident person is amazing to be around.

How can you tell in a first interview who is confident vs cocky? The cocky person is usually saying words like "I" all the time and bragging on their accomplishments. They talk others down and nothing is ever their fault. Most importantly, if you ask them to do something or try to impart your knowledge, they typically cut you off and don't follow through with the task at hand. Next time your in an interview look for these characteristics.

Third - Are They Asking Good Questions

I want to be interviewed too! When a prospect knows about the company or the products that we offer, it is wonderful. I know that they have done their research and they aren't wasting my time. It also makes the conversation that much better. If I'm walking in to a pre scheduled meeting and prospects have no clue about the company or don't have any questions prepared for me, what is the point? I can sell an opportunity all day, but if I'm holding up a one-way conversation then I'm moving on.

If a candidate is asking detailed and thoughtful questions, the conversation can continue and branch out into many different topics. Some of my best interviews have come from candidates keeping me on my toes with amazing questions. While I may not always have the answer right then, it creates a great opportunity to set up another conversation with them to answer them.

There are a lot more things that I look at as I continue to develop my relationship with someone during the interview process. These 3 though are deal breakers to me at the start. I have misread people, but I feel that I am getting stronger every day in how I build relationships.

Thank you for your time and have a great weekend!