If you have ever gone through numerous resumes looking for the perfect candidate, you already know how difficult it can be to find truly exceptional new hires. While resumes are useful to help you weed out which candidates you want to interview, they are certainly not the end all and be all of the hiring process. In fact, there are several things that a resume can’t tell you – and these are things you need to know!
In order to find the perfect candidate for the position, you have to go beyond the basics and really delve into what makes them tick. Unfortunately, this information is rarely included in a resume or cover letter. If you want to get into the facts that really matter, you’re going to have to know which questions to ask.
Here are four of the most important things that will never be revealed by a resume and how to find the answers.
You Need to Know the Why
A resume will give you a good idea of what a candidate has done in the past, where they’ve worked and probably their degree. However, it won’t tell you what made them choose this field. It won’t tell you what inspires them and makes them someone who would be an asset to your company. Quite often, passion for a job far outweighs schooling and experience. Don’t forget to ask candidates what moves them and why they felt called to this type of work.
How Much Did the Candidate Actually Accomplish?
Again, when you’re looking at a resume, you are essentially viewing a list of things a candidate has done, places they’ve worked and maybe a few lines about their past job duties. A static list of duties isn’t going to tell you a whole lot about what they managed to accomplish and what they really wanted to accomplish in their old positions. Make sure you ask them to go into more detail on their successes and their failures.
How Do They Plan to Take On Their Role in Your Company?
A candidate with a plan is a perfect fit for just about any company. These are the people who really take the time to envision themselves doing the job and have an idea about how they’re going to do their job more effectively. This is something that really can’t be put on paper, so if you don’t ask this question, you’re never going to know the answer.
Going Beyond the Basics
In many fields, experience and knowledge help, but they’re not everything. Many of us need to rely on our instincts to handle everyday tasks and challenges – and you need to know how a candidate is going to respond in this type of environment. Include a few questions that are designed to delve beyond the basics and focus on what makes a candidate tick and how they handle pressure.
Don’t get us wrong, resumes are incredibly necessary and helpful – but they aren’t the end all and be all of hiring new candidates. By looking a little deeper, you’re going to get a better idea of the type of candidate that will be the perfect fit.
Want more help finding the perfect candidate? The experts at Solopoint Solutions are here to help!