Married at First Sight is back on our screens again and the office is bubbling with talk of dinner party drama and the wild commitment ceremonies.

The show sees a group of singles partnered up for 8 weeks, in an experiment which has them meet for the first time at the altar. We see romance, tears, tantrums, the odd cheating scandal and of course, a whole heap of drama.

This got us thinking though, what would it take us to hire a candidate at first sight? Here, we dive into what to look for in the perfect candidate.

Communication is everything

Communication is arguably one of the most important aspects of any job. Don’t be mistaken though, we’re not just asking for someone who’s got a way with words. It’s the ability to see the importance of communication in the role that’s so vital.

Whether you’re recruiting for software developers, mechanical engineers, creatives, or C-suite individuals, perception is everything in the working world and perception comes through communication. The ability to communicate that a project is delayed, the need to explain how a team member is underperforming, the capability to highlight your successes in a coherent and humble manner.

To see if your candidate has good communication skills, look for how they formulate their answers to your questions. Do they waffle on? Or are they succinctly presenting you with the relevant information in a captivating way?

A clear and proven track record

So many of us were brought up thinking our education would be the key to getting a great job. Realistically, no one really pays this much attention unless they’re hiring for entry level positions. Instead, experience is the greatest barometer of what a candidate is capable of.

There are a few things to look for here. Firstly, you need to rule out job hopping. Recruiting a candidate that leaves their role after two months because they don’t have sticking power is a quick way to kiss your commission goodbye. We can forgive the odd outlier on a CV, everyone makes mistakes. Generally though, aim for a candidate that has an average of 2-3 years or more at each role. This can be even higher for C-suite candidates – after all, no one wants to go through the process of hiring another CFO after two years.

Next, look for a proven track record of success. Has the candidate genuinely made a positive impression everywhere they’ve worked. This is easier for roles like marketing and sales which provide tangible data that can be pulled from. Overall, you want to see proof that the candidate has left their department in a better position than when they started.

Can they play the game?

Being successful in a role is about so much more than the skills a person has. It’s about the willingness and ability to play the game. We’re not talking about corporate climbers who backstab others to get ahead. Instead, we’re talking about the soft skills required to fit in within a company and advance your career.

Can your candidate build relationships with people of all levels, with differing personalities? Does your candidate know how to be appropriate when having conversations with senior members of the team? Are they able to become an asset and hit the ground running?

Whether you like it or not, the working world is a game that needs to be played. The sooner a person understands this, the more successful they’ll be. Look to see if your candidate has what it takes to work with those around them and present themselves in the best light possible.

Have they got the right attitude?

We’ve all been there, the team’s struggling to meet a deadline, everyone is working hard to get things across the line, and then a member of the team complains about working on a task that’s “not my job”.

Possessing the right attitude is imperative to being successful in work. If your candidate doesn’t clearly demonstrate that they’re willing to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in, they won’t succeed. This doesn’t mean they have to be the type of person who says yes to everything and burns out after a few months. Instead, it’s having the ability to know how and when to say no to work. It’s about being proactive and taking work off other people’s plates when they’re clearly under pressure.

Often, candidates are hired on their attitude alone. Skills can be taught, a willingness to put the team first and work to get tasks across the line can’t.

To determine if your candidate has the right attitude, you can do a few stress tests in your initial qualifying calls. Ask them about their current role, discuss their relationship with their last manager, and understand what they consider to be a healthy and constructive working environment. You’ll soon get the measure of whether their attitude is up to standard.

The right side of confident

Confidence is a hugely important factor to look for when hiring a candidate. After all, we all want someone who knows what they’re doing. However, so many candidates take this as an opportunity to become arrogant about their abilities.

It’s a fine line to walk between confidence and arrogance, especially in an interview setting where talking about your achievements is expected. Unfortunately, arrogance can become a toxic trait within teams and can create unhealthy conflict.

Look for a candidate that doesn’t shy away from speaking about their achievements but presents clear facts about their success instead of bold, sweeping statements. At the same time, look for a candidate that’s humble enough to acknowledge the stellar contributions of other team members who helped them achieve their goals.

Can they take the hits?

Work can be tough. We’ve all been there during tough times where we could happily walk away from a role and do something else. Yet, these are fleeting thoughts and we stick around to traipse through the mud, building a better position for ourselves and the company we’re working in. Resilience and a bit of grit are wholly underestimated qualities in candidates.

Everyone is happy when the sun’s shining and things are going well. However, do they have what it takes to work through the stress and pressure when the role is at its worst?

If your candidate leaves their role after a short period of time, you’ll be judged as a recruiter and there’s a strong chance you won’t be asked to help with hiring their replacement. Unfortunately, it’s a difficult attribute to measure when sifting through CVs or speaking with candidates. We recommend asking a few probing questions about times the candidate struggled in their previous roles and what they did to turn things around. Alternatively, dig into their personal motivations and understand what truly matters to them. You can tell a lot about a person’s sticking power by learning about what drives them.

They’re not afraid of talking about their shortcomings

We all have weaknesses, we’re only human after all. No one expects a candidate to have everything mastered when they’re hired. Moreover, a person’s weaknesses shouldn’t be a surprise to them. The ideal candidate should have a level of emotional and professional maturity to be able to acknowledge where their blind spots lie and be working to mitigate them.

Candidates who shy away from talking about their shortcomings often fall into one of two camps. Either they’re oblivious about their weaknesses, which is a concerning fact in and of itself. Or, they’re lying to you about them. Whichever is the reason, it’ll be a risk putting them forward for the role.

They have a long term plan

Your candidate doesn’t need to have everything set in stone, and they certainly don’t need to achieve everything on their list. They should, however, have a big picture vision about what they want to achieve in their career and the steps they need to take to get there.

Having a clear vision for the future demonstrates that you’re working with a candidate that’s motivated and ambitious. Two qualities that’ll see them excel with any company.

The GWC test

If you’re unsure about a candidate, there’s a quick and easy test you can run to determine if they’ll be a good fit for whichever role you’re recruiting for. This test works across all industries and applies at all levels.

Compare your candidate to the job description and ask yourself three questions:

Do they get it?

Here, we’re trying to acknowledge whether the candidate understands the role, what’s required of them, and the type of company they’ll be joining.

Do they want it?

This is all about their attitude and motivations. Look to see whether the candidate portrays a genuine desire to do the role and work for the company in question.

Do they have the capacity to do it?

This final question looks at their skillset and whether the candidate actually has what it takes to be successful.

If you can answer yes to all three questions without hesitation, you’re on to a winner.

Looking for your next role?

Are you the perfect candidate we’re looking for? We only work with the very best candidates and clients across the recruitment sector. If you’re looking to take the next step, we can help. Get in touch today for a confidential conversation about your experience and expectations from your next career move. Alternatively, browse our job board to get a feel for the type of positions we currently have on offer.