Personality and character play a big role in determining an employee’s ultimate success within the culture of your organization. Emotional intelligence and curiosity quotient are two important factors that your team should be considering every time they interview a candidate. Hiring teams must understand how to uncover these important traits if you want to find employees who will be productive, who will add value, and who will be happy working with your team.
“Many professional interviewers keep a list of the questions you ask in the interview and evaluate your path of thinking. Can you think of someone who always waits for everyone else to bring the solutions? Professionals are also looking to hire people who can control themselves in all situations with internal and external employees. Can you think of someone who always stirs the pot? Look in the mirror and chose who you want to be, then just do it! You will shine during and after the interview!” says Sharon Tsao, Owner, Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence covers a broad scope, but it can be generally defined as the ability to identify how others are thinking and feeling and the ability to quickly adjust your own emotions according to the needs of the situation. Emotionally intelligent people get along well with others, they show empathy, and they have the ability to maintain their composure in extreme situations.
You can evaluate emotional intelligence throughout the interview by using direct questions and making inferences from the candidate’s responses. Ask about how the candidate resolves conflicts, handles situations where they are asked to compromise their ethics, and to cite specific examples about how they handle pressure. People who tend to shift blame to others when things go wrong or who aren’t able to speak with clarity about their own weaknesses tend to lack emotional intelligence. Look for signs that the person can overcome adversity and handle difficult people without laying blame or losing their cool.
The Curiosity Quotient
Emotional intelligence has been a critical factor in the interview process for many years, but forward-thinking companies are now also emphasizing curiosity as an important trait in candidates. Curiosity is a part of emotional intelligence, but it should be evaluated on its own. Curious people are more likely to seek out opportunities to learn new things and they are also more likely to take creative approaches to problem-solving as they take in new information.
It can be difficult to measure curiosity in an interview, but you can ask questions to help you glean just how inquisitive a candidate is. Ask them what they have taught themselves in the last year. Follow up by asking how they went about teaching themselves something new, and what the result was. It doesn’t have to be work-related, either. People who teach themselves new languages, new crafts, or even how to fix things around the house show a natural curiosity that will almost always carry over into their professional lives.
Are You Seeking Talented Professionals For Your Business?
In today’s competitive market, emotional intelligence and curiosity should be non-negotiable traits in potential new employees. If you are seeking great talent and you’re looking for new ways to improve your recruiting process, contact the recruiting experts at Contemporary Staffing Solutions today.