Recruiting the IT Factor

We’ve all seen it.  We’re all looking for it.  We might even be trying to be it.

But what is it really that makes a candidate a rockstar? What gives them the IT factor?

From Agency Recruiters to Corporate Talent Acquisition, we’re all essentially looking for the same qualities and characteristics.  It doesn’t even matter what line of business you focus on; whether it’s information technology, legal, accounting or executive search; we’re all looking for the same, often intangible, qualities.  So what is it that we’re actually looking for?

Defining the ‘IT’ factor in a candidate is all but impossible but when you see it, you know it.  In this profession we are all striving to find the best, most qualified candidates for our clients.  And while that might be a different model (no, not a model like in the picture) from company to company, there are some general qualities that transcend profession, field or focus.  Here are some tips on seeing and harnessing the ‘It’ candidate.

1. Connection:  We’ve all had a day (or several) where a candidate has walked in the door and you knew they were a dud from a mile away.  The smile was timid, the handshake awkward and the overall countenance weak.  Sigh.  Back to the drawing board.  But far more rarely, we’ve also all had a moment where our candidate has walked through the door and the clouds parted in their path.  You know…the great smile, the eye contact, the hearty handshake.  Some people just have a quality that makes people around them feel liked and feel valued.  When meeting candidates, pay attention to your own feelings and immediate impression; if you find someone that you genuinely like right off the bat, someone that laughs and connects with you almost automatically, grab a hold and don’t let go.  Even if the candidate isn’t a dead-on match, I guarantee you the hiring manager is going to want that guy or gal around too. Likeability isn’t usually a job qualification, but for the long term success of any team, it matters a lot.
2. Positivity:This may sound trite, but the candidate that simply exudes positivity and a good outlook is going to get the job every time (as long as they actually know what the job is.)  We often underestimate the effect that a smile and a laugh have on people around us.  Most people get caught up in their day to day; work, family, money etc.  When you find that rare person who is always in the moment, has a smile and a laugh for the person walking by you can actually watch people light up around them.  Trying to counsel candidates to be positive and optimistic during an interview is a necessary skill for a recruiter, but finding the candidate that already gets it is priceless. Real optimism and determination to tackle hard problems is really what makes great employees.
3. Confidence:  Don’t confuse cockiness for confidence; they are worlds apart. Through years of recruiting, I’m sure most professionals can tell you that the weak or timid candidates have the hardest time landing jobs.  After all, if a candidate doesn’t have confidence in themselves, it’s going to be close to impossible for someone else to.  Confidence is a candidate’s knowledge that they can get the job done.  That doesn’t mean they already have all the skills required; no, it means that they know that they can accomplish whatever they set their mind to. It’s a surprisingly rare quality and one that unfortunately can diminish, instead of increase, as someone stays in the same industry.

You’ll note that most of the qualities above don’t stand alone…where you find one, you’re more than likely to find the other two.  That’s what makes a rockstar a rockstar.  They’re positive, confident and make the people around them feel the same way. That’s what makes this business of recruiting and talent so hard…so much of what we do is tied up in our own perceptions and our ability to read innate personal qualities in a very short period of time.

So keep your eyes open and trust your recruiting instincts.  If you find a candidate you genuinely like and someone that brightens your day, chances are you can place them somewhere or that they might be a good long-term fit for your own team. Happy hunting!