5 Qualities Job Recruiters Look for in Candidates

3 min readNov 25, 2022

Whether you are looking to hire employees for your startup or want to recruit people for the organization you work in, understanding which candidate is best suited for a role can often be tricky.
You may receive some applications which will be easy for you to reject due to the lack of skill or experience you are looking for in the particular role. But making the final call amongst the most deserving candidates may put you in a dilemma.
Here are 5 qualities you should look for before hiring to make the recruitment process effortless for you.

1. Strong work ethic

You should always go for people with a strong work ethic to include in the team. Someone with a strong work ethic takes pride in their work, and doing a poor job goes against their moral code.
You can teach many skills on the job, and prior experience may not be necessary for all designations, but a person’s willingness to work is an inherent quality. Those who lack it at the beginning of the job rarely develop it all of a sudden.

2. Proactive

Being proactive is a crucial trait of the ideal employee. People who like to take the initiative at their workplace do not wait for someone to approach them for a task. They are motivated self-starters who find new ways to help the business.
During the interview, a good indicator of a proactive employee is whether they have any queries about the work. When they ask questions about their role or the job description, it reflects they are curious about the position and not hesitant to know more about it.

3. Appreciates learning

No matter how high someone scores in graduation, that does not end the learning phase. It is a lifelong endeavor; when people stop learning, they stop growing.
So, you should look for this trait in the ideal candidate because no amount of internship or on-job training can prepare anyone for the constant changes of the corporate world. From mastering a new software to picking up the most efficient way to use an older one, being keen to learn is a fundamental quality of the ideal job candidates.

4. Team player

Being a team player is a crucial trait of the ideal candidate. A good team player will never disrupt harmony when collaborating with others on any project.
At the same time, while working individually, everyone needs to work towards the same goal, and working in isolation can seriously hinder productivity in such situations. Bouncing ideas off of each other can give birth to many creative solutions, increasing efficiency.

5. Communication

The importance of communicating coherently within the team and outside cannot be stressed enough. And this includes both oral and written communication skills.
Knowing when they need to shoot that thank you mail to the client or when it is time to listen patiently is all part of being a competent communicator.

Recruitment may seem straightforward, but as you delve into the actual work, you realize it can get a little overwhelming. This list can help you solve the puzzle, so you get the best candidate who will help your organization thrive.

Liked what you read? Listen to my podcast here for more such content.