You’ve probably experienced this, or at the very least, heard a story about it.
A company interviews a candidate and screens them with various tests, and the candidate is a perfect fit in just about every way. They have all of the technical skills, a solid history of past accomplishments, and a glowing set of references. The company hires them . . . and then unfortunately, has to fire them off less than a year later for unsatisfactory performance.
What happened?
The company inadvertently overlooked the “X Factor” when it comes to hiring superstar candidates: passion.
If an employee does not have passion for what they’re doing, they won’t become a top performer or a high achiever with your company. Sure, they might possess all of the tangible traits integral for success, but without the intangible “X Factor” of passion, they’ll fall short.
So is it possible to screen a candidate for passion? There’s nothing formal, but below are four things you can do during the face-to-face interview:
- Ask the candidate their number-one reason for wanting the job. If the answer lies in what they’ll be doing, then you’re on the right track. If it’s because of compensation or the prestige of working for the company, then you’re not.
- Ask them what they like most about the work they’re doing now, and see how their answer aligns with the job description of your open position.
- Discuss the daily functions of the position and see how they react. Is it with enthusiasm? Or is it a muted reaction?
- Is their personality conducive to the functions of the job? Are they detail-oriented? Do they like to travel? Do they enjoy interaction with others? Personality is a major component of a person’s passion.
Skills and experience are just one part of the hiring equation. Strive to find out what candidates are passionate about, and you’ll increase the success rate of the people you do hire . . . and decrease the chances that you’ll be disappointed later.
We help support careers in one of two ways: 1. By helping find the right opportunity when the time is right, and 2. By helping recruit top talent for the critical needs of organizations. If this is something you would like to explore further, please send an email to stacy@thevetrecruiter.com.