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4 Things That Companies Look for When Hiring New Employees

Meghan Belnap

January 30, 2018

When you apply for a new job, you reasonably may look for positions that you are well-qualified for. These qualifications may include specific skills and experiences from previous positions that you have held. A minimum level of relatable education may also be required. While these are obvious factors that most employers look for regardless of the type of position that they are hiring for, there are a few top traits that they may also look for. While anyone can place these traits as skills on a resume, hiring managers may ask specific questions to test your actual qualifications in these areas.

Organization

From an employer’s standpoint, the importance of organization may closely relate to the ability of an employee to organize his or her workday and to juggle multiple tasks. The ability to prioritize tasks may also be included in the concept of organization. You can see that this transcends the ability to simply maintain a neat work area. Organization can play into your overall productivity and your ability to get your tasks completed in a timely manner. With this in mind, it is clear why candidates may be carefully screened for this quality.

Strategic Thinking

Most job applicants may be able to follow a single train of thought and think about common ways to solve problems. Strategic thinking skills may employ a more creative approach to problem-solving. These are tenacious individuals who may think outside the box to resolve problems and to deal with challenges. Ultimately, this quality relates to individuals who have a can-do attitude rather than a defeatist attitude that essentially causes them to give up easily when faced with even a small amount of adversity. Employers may ask how you approached specific problems or challenges in former positions.

Self-Motivation

Employers generally should have reasonable management skills to motivate employees and to maintain a high productivity level. However, the managerial team cannot spend their entire workweek staying on each employee to spur motivation. Many employers look for individuals who have an internal drive and a strong desire to succeed.

Their motivation may stem from a desire to climb the career ladder, or it may simply be an innate trait. For example, some individuals may only be satisfied with themselves when they complete a task and put forth their best efforts. This is opposed to other individuals who may rush through a task simply to get it done and move onto something else.

Flexibility

When an employer hires a new worker for a job, this individual is usually given a list of responsibilities. These responsibilities are the typical tasks that the worker needs to complete, but there may be instances when the worker needs to handle other tasks. For example, a co-worker may be out sick, and others in the office may need to pick up the slack.

Perhaps a short-term project needs to be completed, and you may have the best skills to complete the project. Employers look for a new hire who is flexible and accommodating rather than someone who may complain by saying that specific tasks are not his or her responsibility.

While you may wish to put these and other traits or qualities on your resume, expect a hiring manager to specifically ask you about them. You should be able to cite examples of how these traits were exhibited in different ways. Remember that these are only a few of many traits that employers may value in new hires. When you are interviewing, read between the lines when asked specific questions. Focus on the traits that the question may pertain to so that you can answer the question in the most appropriate manner possible.

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