How to spot a candidate who’s truly keen to work in your organisation.
Zarin (pseudo name) reached out to me over LinkedIn in the middle of a work week. She added a note to the connection request which said, she wanted to make her network stronger. From hundreds of LinkedIn requests, hers stood out.
Once I accepted, she started sharing a few insights on B2B sales and eventually asked if she could meet me to discuss a career in B2B sales.
I knew what she was doing. She was positively building a stage to seek a job. But she did it in style, was not ‘pushy’, and managed to embark upon bright discussions. Impressive!
I forwarded her CV to HR. Eventually, Zarin went through the usual, very impartial and competitive recruitment process, before securing her job against 6 other candidates.
Did the recruitment board choose the right candidate? Zarin, in the next year, rose to become one of the top 4 salespeople in our 17-member B2B team.
Hiring the right candidate is more than just matching resumes to job descriptions; it’s about finding someone who is genuinely excited about your organisation. Question is, how can you tell if a candidate is genuinely interested? Let me share a few practical signs and witty observations that might come to your use.
- THEY’VE DONE THEIR HOMEWORK
A candidate who is truly interested will come to the interview armed with knowledge about your company, and possibly even your industry. This is not just about reading the ‘About Us’ page on your website. Look for signs that they have delved deeper. Do they know about your latest projects, recent awards, or even the company culture?
- THEY PERSONALISE THEIR APPLICATION
I know that HR tends to brush aside cover letters, but that is because they tend to be generic. If a cover letter is tailored to your organisation and job role, their application reflects that they’ve put thought into why they want to work for you, not just any company. For example, instead of a bland opening like, “I am excited to apply for the marketing position,” they might write, “Your recent campaign on sustainable living caught my attention, and I am excited about the opportunity to bring my digital marketing skills to a team that values environmental responsibility.”
- THEY’RE ACTIVE ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA
A candidate who is genuinely interested will likely engage with your company on social media before they even apply. This means liking, commenting, or sharing your posts, and showing enthusiasm for your content. If they’re retweeting your CEO’s jokes and liking your Instagram posts, they’re already a fan of your brand!
- THEY SHARE YOUR VALUES
During the interview, pay attention to how they align their personal values with those of your company. A motivated candidate will highlight their own principles and how they match your organisation’s mission and culture. We have mentioned this ‘culture fit’ in another article on ICE Business Times earlier. You can check that out for more details if you’re interested.
- THEIR BODY LANGUAGE SPEAKS VOLUMES
Non-verbal cues can be just as telling as what a candidate says. Look for signs of engagement and enthusiasm: leaning forward, maintaining eye contact, and nodding in agreement are all positive indicators.
Observation: If they’re sitting at the edge of their seat, it is either a sign of excitement or they have had too much coffee. Either way, they’re paying attention!
- THEY OFFER IDEAS UNPROMPTED DURING AN INTERVIEW
A motivated candidate will proactively share their ideas for how they can contribute to your company’s success. I even had a candidate who told us during an interview, “I noticed that your company’s blog hasn’t been updated recently.” While the rest of the interview board was looking at each other in mild shock, I was keen to hear what he had to say next: “I have a few ideas for content that could drive more traffic and engagement.” Boom – hired!
- THEY’RE PERSISTENT (BUT NOT ANNOYING)
There’s a fine line between showing interest and being overly persistent. A motivated candidate will follow up appropriately, showing continued interest. But they will do it in style, not creating a nuisance.
An interesting article on the things we discussed during our interview over a WhatsApp message after a few days, or a polite email a week after the interview to check on the status of their application – all are good signs. Daily phone calls? Not so much.
CONCLUSION
Identifying a candidate with high interest and motivation is about looking beyond the resume. It is about spotting those telltale signs of enthusiasm and genuine interest in your company. By paying attention to how they’ve researched your organisation, the questions they ask, their follow-up etiquette, and even their body language, you can find a candidate who is not only qualified but also excited to be a part of your team. And when you find someone like that, you know you’ve struck gold.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Zeeshan Kingshuk Huq is an eCommerce founder, CXO, and Career Coach. He can be reached at zeeshan.huq@gmail.com
