“Motive and drive are key indicators into a candidate’s future performance.”
Motive trumps skill when hiring new team members. Based on new research, here’s some new interview insights for employers that could get you away from the typical hum-drum interview process.
Most interviews cover the same ground: past experience, salary requirements, reasons for leaving current job, and similar components. A recent study by Futurestep says we’ve got it all wrong. According to the survey, top execs are looking way beyond job experience when interviewing potential candidates. Instead, they’re primarily keying in on one thing: motivation. Motive and drive beats out all other factors when considering a new employee, and not by a little bit; an overwhelming 33% of the executives polled agreed.
Taking a deep-dive into personality psychology, hiring managers are sussing out what drives the person they’re interviewing. What gets them fired up, what keeps them in their job, and what are they looking for?
It’s a fascinating realization, considering we’ve been taught to highlight our skills and experience on resumes and in interviews. As a business owner, how do you shift your paradigm and ask the “right” questions when meeting candidates?
You can likely spot some clues in the interviewee’s work history. Have they moved up the ladder or stayed put for years? Do they jump from job to job, or are they leaving a long-term position? Bear in mind, these aren’t answers, but questions that can lead to a dialogue about what someone is looking for from the job.
Throw some random questions into the mix, like “if I gave you $1,000 today, how would you spend it?”. This kind of conversation can uncover what motivates a person, information you can use in deciding whether or not they’ll be a good fit for your company culture.
Sometimes you get the information you want by just asking. If you present the question so they know there is no “right” or “wrong” answer, you’ll get a lot farther. Most people have likely never been asked what motivates them in a job interview, so it is a disarming and genuine way to get to the good stuff in a short time-frame. Ask them what they loved about their last job, and what they wished had been different. Ask them what their ideal career looks like and why.
Everyone is motivated by different things. By being aware of what drives and inspires your employees, you build a better team for your business and a better business for your team!
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