The top 3 skills every recruiter seeks: Do you have them?

Credit to Author: Murali Murthy| Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2024 16:28:54 +0000

Recruiters often focus on three key skills when shortlisting candidates, regardless of the position. Mastering these skills can significantly enhance your marketability and make you a stronger candidate. These skills are transferrable and applicable across various jobs and industries. By identifying and improving these skills, you can boost your prospects throughout the job application process. Here are the top three skills employers look for, along with some common interview questions for each area.

COMMUNICATION

No matter what job you apply for, demonstrating strong communication skills will give you an edge over other candidates — and this is why recruiters highly value this ability.

Competent communication is a fundamental skill that hiring managers notice. It encompasses how you present yourself, the clarity of your communication and your command of language. Your ability to communicate effectively provides recruiters with insight into your clarity regarding the job and your future career. Remember, communication includes not just your written and verbal skills, but also your non-verbal communication.

TEAMWORK

With hybrid and fully remote work environments becoming the norm, being a team player is increasingly valuable in the workplace. Indeed, it is regarded as the second most important skill. Hiring teams specifically look for candidates who can work independently, collaborate with multiple teams, adapt to different work styles, and communicate effectively in various settings.

Things rarely function in isolation anymore. Demonstrating that you can work well with others and build positive working relationships with colleagues can bring out the best in every team member, enhance morale, and increase productivity. Employers prefer candidates who can work independently, collaborate effectively, and still deliver excellent results. In an interview, highlight your ability to delegate tasks and manage those you supervise positively. Sharing stories from past employment where you successfully collaborated with colleagues to achieve a significant goal can be particularly effective.

RESILIENCE

Resilience is the ability to face challenges, obstacles, and setbacks, including unexpected events, without allowing them to derail your resolve. In the workplace, resilience helps you function effectively even under pressure, maintaining a positive demeanor throughout. Top performers in every industry demonstrate this grit, which is essential for long-term success. Moreover, beyond simply being affected by stress, your ability to cope with it like a pro can set you apart.

In a typical workday, dealing with multiple personalities, resilience helps you manage and control your emotions without affecting others. Resilient leaders are also self-aware, take good care of themselves, and, most importantly, show their vulnerable side. They don’t hesitate to seek help when needed. Other skills related to resilience include emotional intelligence (EI), mindfulness, purpose, self-care, and building positive connections with others.

COMMUNICATION – Common interview questions and sample answer

• Can you share an example of how your communication skills helped you successfully complete a task?
• Describe a situation when you had to speak out in a meeting. How did you communicate your point?
• Tell me about a time when you successfully communicated with someone in a higher position.
• Describe a complex idea you had to explain to a colleague or your team. How did you go about explaining it?
• How do you keep your communication skills updated?

A successful candidate understands the importance of maintaining and developing their professional skills and abilities. Your aim is to underline your approach to professional development at every given opportunity.

Sample answer to: How do you update your communication skills?

“I believe it’s vital to constantly seek out opportunities to improve my knowledge and skills.

I take a keen interest in professional development. I am involved in networking groups related to communications and public relations, which offer regular training and seminars. Additionally, I stay up-to-date on emerging trends by reading and researching, especially the impact of social media and AI on communications.”

TEAMWORK – Common interview questions and sample answer

• What are your thoughts on working in a team?
• Share an example of how you resolved a challenge as a team?
• How do you motivate team members while working on a project?
• How do you deal with a challenging dynamic within a team?
• Do you prefer to work independently or as a part of a team?

While there are many ways to respond to interview questions about teamwork, the most important thing to remember is to tailor your response to the position you are applying for.

Sample answer to: Do you prefer to work independently or in a team? 

“I’m comfortable working both independently and in a team setting. In fact, I was fortunate to experience both in my previous job. Given a choice, I prefer working in a team, as the best ideas are often developed in collaboration with others. Since childhood, I have been part of sports teams; I played volleyball in high school and currently play on a local team in my community. This experience has greatly contributed to my ability to work effectively with others in a professional setting. My definition of a team is ‘Together everyone achieves more.’”

 RESILIENCE – Common interview questions and sample answer

• How do you cope with pressure?
• Describe a setback you faced and how you handled it.
• What did you do when something didn’t work out the way you had expected, and what did you learn from it?
• Have you worked with anyone who had a different opinion?
• Can you share how you managed working with someone you didn’t agree with?
• How do you handle criticism of your work or any negative feedback?

To demonstrate your resilience in a recruitment situation, share examples of how you reacted to stressful situations and what constructive strategies you leveraged to manage them. Remember, facts tell but stories sell. Show how you possess both the mental and the emotional stability  necessary to adapt to situations and challenges.

Sample answer to: How do you deal with criticism of your work or any negative feedback?

“I know that the fortune is in the feedback. Feedback can be either negative or positive and it can come from clients, customers, peers or managers. I always welcome open, transparent  feedback. This is an opportunity to polish my skills in the particular area and improve my performance. I make sure that I don’t become defensive, blame others, or ignore the feedback at all costs.”

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