New Brunswick HR Pros Share Their Talent Scouting Tips
Hiring the right people is clearly one of the most crucial elements of a successful business.
It’s not surprising then that HR professionals and hiring managers have very particular practices when it comes to finding someone who is as close to the perfect fit as possible. We asked three HR professionals and hiring managers two questions about how they find the right people:
Kim Garland – Grant Thornton people and culture manager
What is the most important qualification you look for in prospective employees?
In our industry, technical competence and personality are key. To be successful, an individual must have strong post-secondary grades as well as exemplary professional charisma. Fit is important. No one will be successful if there is no engagement, sense of team or camaraderie.
What question do you always ask in interviews?
I’m always interested to hear what brought them to apply with us – why they want to work in a public practice accounting firm. You can usually tell a lot by their response
Christy Bitcon – LuminUltra HR and office manager
What is the most important qualification you look for in prospective employees?
In terms of important qualifications we would be looking for, that would be very dependent on the type of role we were trying to fill (ex. scientist, vs accountant, vs warehouse worker), however if we are talking in general I would say a positive attitude, strong work ethic and flexibility. For us, it is really important that we have people who are willing to take on any challenge, even if it may seem like it is a little outside of their normal area of responsibility. Pitching in where needed is a very desirable quality.
What question do you always ask in interviews?
We always ask why they are interested in our opportunity. This can shed some light on why they want to leave their current employer and how much they have researched and know about is. This helps us determine if they are the right fit for us. We also try to ensure we give a good explanation of the role and the company so that the candidate can determine if we are the right fit for what they are looking for as well. It needs to fit on both sides.
Jenn Phillips – PQA Testing HR manager
What is the most important qualification you look for in prospective employees?
Depending on the role, we definitely look more for fit. We can teach the fundamentals of software testing, we’ve done it with PLATO Testing (as an example). PQA is so diverse, culturally, experience-wise and even education. So, fit is important. It’s also the aptitude and attitude. Flexibility, ability to think outside the box and a great personality is, for me personally, what I look for.
What question do you always ask in interviews?
I always ask candidates to tell me something about themselves. I’m not looking for a repeat of their resume, I’m looking for something that will help me remember them. Something that reflects personality, creativity or past experiences.