I’m a firm believer that the best predictor for future performance is past performance.
Achievement - I always look for a track record of achievement in a candidate’s resume and background. High achievers have often always achieved at a high level despite their positions. Achievers have a hard time standing still, they seek to create efficiencies, often take the lead in projects, they often go above and beyond. I listen for people that change the way companies do business. Searching for efficiencies, not from the top down, but in their role. How they can make their team better.
I like to see the candidate has been promoted at least twice. A promotion is a great indicator that their previous manager/company saw their potential. This is a wonderful vote of confidence from a previous employer.
Strong Locus of Control - I listen for someone with a high internal locus of control, meaning they have a high level of personal accountability. As they speak to their past challenges and triumphs, they take ownership of their mistakes, lessons, and successes.
Reasonable Tenures – Someone who has stayed for a reasonable amount of time in each role. Reasonable, depending on the role and the industry, can be 2-5 years in each role.
Hard and Soft Skills – Technical/ hard skills are often easy to identify, This would be the necessary education, credentials, expertise, etc. Soft skills, on the other hand, are crucial for success within teams and in the workplace. I personally look for a high level of EQ, or Emotional intelligence. Other soft skills I am looking to identify would be: leadership styles, collaborative abilities, customer service skills, etc. These soft skills are harder to identify. The mixture of hard and soft skills depends on the company and the company's culture. We are looking for the best fit.