Cocktails with Carl
Commencement 2022: What I Believe Employers are Looking for in Young Job Candidates
In my 20+ years of leading and managing people, I encountered a brand new experience this past week. Here is the backstory…..My company is hiring for a number of positions, which means we are doing a lot of interviewing as of late. After a recent interview, we sent a candidate notice that they were not chosen to fill the position. In response, we received a long email detailing things covered in the interview that the candidate said made them “uncomfortable”. I’ll spare you the specific details for times sake, but what it boiled down to was that anything not directly related to the job and the tangible skills needed was determined to be “out of bounds”. The candidate then went on to make some strange allegations about our intentions. Let’s just say that it looks like we dodged a bullet!
It’s that time of year. New graduates are entering the workforce and they are eager to find a job that allows them to show off the knowledge and skills acquired while in school. In order for that investment to pay off, young candidates with little to no experience need to be able to articulate why a business should take a risk and bring them on to the team. As an owner of a business that hires a lot of young talent, below I’ve listed some key qualities that we believe are most important when interviewing potential candidates.
Values Alignment
Our company has a published value system made up of 7 clearly defined and specific values. It’s important that anyone entering our small company understands what we stand for. Because of that, we carefully go through this value system in each and every one of our interviews and then challenge the candidates to compare what they value vs. our list. To be fair, we don’t ask them to reply immediately. In the heat of the moment the answers would be too agreeable and I really want some deep thought to go into it. When they return for a follow up meeting, we ask them to share with us what it is they value most. The hidden test here is that they should have established their own core values in the time they were given. It would be a bad sign if they didn’t.
Goal Oriented
In a small, entrepreneurial business it’s imperative that we have people that are passionate about improving. We ask candidates about their goals. Do they have goals that are written down and tracked? Most do not and that’s not necessarily a surprise, especially for younger people. If that’s the case, we’ll simply move the discussion and ask them how they accomplished their biggest achievements to date. If they can provide those details, it’s a good sign they understand the fundamentals of goal setting. We can teach the rest once they get here.
Self Starter
Our company doesn’t have an in depth training program and there certainly isn’t someone telling you exactly what to do in all circumstances. Therefore, we need self starters on our team. What does “self starter” mean specifically? For us it means the wherewithal to recognize a void in the process and the confidence to step in and fill that void utilizing all available resources at hand. Some people say “I’ll figure it out” a lot and that is the spirit we are looking for. The solution doesn’t need to be perfect, but it continues to move things forward.
Relationship Driven
The best performing teams have great chemistry. That chemistry comes from intimate relationship development and connection with one another. So, we are looking for selfless people that are willing to put others first. We encourage building friendships that will last a lifetime, long past the time people will still be working here. If we can get everyone to embrace this mindset, success will be a natural byproduct.
You’ll notice that these qualities aren’t necessarily tied to a specific set of skills or experiences. Sure, those are important but only make up part of the equation (in our case it’s a much smaller part). And, if you are young and those skills and experiences are limited, you’re gonna have to demonstrate value to the organization in other ways if you want to get hired. My recommendation is to not make the mistake of focusing only on the tangible skills that are needed to perform a certain job. Instead, work on incorporating the above into your discussions with future employers. They’ll be impressed and I bet you’ll end up winning the job!
Good luck!
Cocktail Recipe: Gin Julep
Summer means gin-but let’s do something a little different than the gin and tonic.
2 ½ ozs Gin
¾ ozs Simple Syrup
4-6 Mint Leaves
Cucumber Slices for Garnish
Express and add mint leaves to a glass. Top with crushed ice and add liquid ingredients. Stir well until all incorporated and add more ice if needed. Garnish with mint sprig and cucumber slices.