10 skills recruiters want in an ideal candidate

August 02, 2019 08:40 IST

The ideal employee will be the one who can learn to adapt to the changes in
a short span of time and apply their technical skills and problem-solving
ability to come up with creative solutions, says Anoop P Kudva.

With a substantial part of the workforce being millennials, organisations and

institutions across the gamut are witnessing nouveau trends among the workforce.

From human resource practices to employee preferences towards work, there are a
plethora of first experiences for employers.

While there exists a hierarchical structure in terms of authority and responsibility,

organisations have been more inclusive of teamwork and shared responsibilities.

The celebration of human ingenuity and problem solving for the betterment of humanity
have led to the proliferation of start-ups, that enable global access but hyperlocal
solutions.

While opportunities are plenty, there are only a handful that fit the bill.

A recent report by LinkedIn cites that 89 per cent of the Asia-Pacific executives find it
difficult to hire candidates who are equipped with key soft skills like critical thinking,
creativity, adaptability and communication.

Companies have realised the need to align the values of their employees with that of the
vision and mission of the company.

In order to achieve this, it becomes imperative to match a candidates' attitude with that
of the company’s culture.

‘Work culture fitment’ is given high priority, an area that most candidates miss out on
during interviews.

While they may have the skills or technical knowledge, they don’t possess the right
attitude to gel in with the culture of the organisation.

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Recruiters are looking for employees with some key skills and abilities in order to
effectively grow in the competitive market.

They won’t hire a candidate with just one skill or ability, they want an all-rounder who
would complement the team’s skills. The following are the skills recruiters look for in an
ideal candidate:

1. Sound technical knowledge

Recruiters are on the lookout for candidates who have mastered their core and technical
skills based on their qualifications and level of experience.

For newbies, recruiters look for a sound foundation in the field with a penchant to
continuous learning and expand their knowledge.

In cases of a candidates with experience, they must be able to apply their knowledge and
skills picked up at their previous workplace.

2. Critical thinking

Recruiters have understood the various problems that employees face in every role.
Thus, a key skill they want a candidate to possess is critical thinking which enables the
person to think clearly and rationally.

It helps to understand, analyse and evaluate where and how a certain problem has
arisen in order to come to a solution.

A candidate must be able to make their own decisions while analysing problems in a
logical manner.

A person who possesses such skill tends to be a go-getter.

3. Communication

The ability to communicate actively and effectively with your team is essential,
irrespective of what industry you work in.

The concept of a lone wolf doesn’t stand true in today’s competitive world where the
changing dynamics have garnered high regard for teamwork.

4. Learning ability
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Continuous learning is the future. Companies want to form a workforce who are keen to
go beyond their call of duty to learn new concepts.

Automation has transformed the economy which has in turn brought about a lot of
technical changes in the functioning of job roles.

Furthermore, a candidate who can keep pace with the industry developments is bound
to have an edge over his peers.

5. Passion

Today, there is no stress-free job available in the market as every job comes with its own
set of hurdles and difficulties.

Individuals who are passionate about their job will be able to sustain the pressure and
survive the job. Their passion will drive them to overcome any hurdle that is placed in
front of them.

6. Self motivation

Self-motivation is like having an internal coach who motivates you, pushes you, inspires
you and spurs you on to the next step, and then to the next until you reach your goals.

Self-motivation drives an individual’s growth and success and recruiters are actively
seeking for candidates who are self-motivated and need minimum management.

This reduces the workload on managers to micromanage every detail at the ground level.
A self-motivated employee will pull their own weight and push to move forward and
upward.

7. Teamwork

Teamwork is a 'must-have skill' sought by employers across the globe.

Companies have shifted their modus operandi from an individual who is solely held
accountable for a job to a team being held accountable for the same job.

8. Creativity

While critical thinking is key to understanding problems, it also helps an employee come
up with quick, out-of-the box solutions, that solve complex problems.
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In a rapidly transforming industry, smart work is encouraged and practised, as against
the hard work.

9. Time management

For a lot of people, it is surprising to see someone who has enough time to do everything
that they are assigned, while others are struggling and rushing from task to task.

While time is fair to everyone, it is the skill of using it efficiently and time makes a lot of
people stand-out.

Every organisation is in a competitive space right now, and this puts a lot of pressure on
employees to complete their work within strict deadlines.

A candidate that possesses time management will be able to deliver the work effectively
and timely

10. Proactiveness

A proactive and curious candidate shows a recruiter that they’re actively on the lookout
to achieve their goals and ambitions.

Such an attitude ensures that the candidate will prove to be an invaluable asset to the
organisation.

With the onset of Industry 4.0, recruiters are on the hunt for candidates who can prove
to be valuable assets during the impending changes.

The ideal employee will be the one who can learn to adapt to the changes in a short span
of time and apply their technical skills and problem-solving ability to come up with
creative solutions.

The employee must be able to create their own path and, in the process, create a new
path that sets the organisation's growth trajectory up and running.

Anoop P Kudva is manager-strategic marketing at MeritTrac Services.