Stand Out in 2018: What Hiring Managers Are Looking For

Each year there are new hiring trends, and year in and year out, there are trends that never seem to fade. The hiring process will always seem daunting, and you may feel like the application and interviewing process leaves you wondering what it is hiring managers and recruiters are really looking for.

While it varies depending on the job, organization, and even the specific hiring manager or recruiter, there are trends as we enter into the second month of 2018. In the article 6 Things Recruiters Are Looking For In 2018, Rachel Weingarten highlights some of these trends. Here are a few that rang true for us at Contemporaries:

• Both hard and soft skills: It’s no secret that recruiters are looking for folks with great computer skills and experience, but what sometimes gets brushed over are what we call “soft skills”. Soft skills are gained through experience and interaction, and can’t always be quantified. Some examples are interpersonal skills, problem solving, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. When a recruiter asks you what you bring to the table, be sure to highlight some soft skills, and have examples of when you used them.
• In it for the long haul: One of the biggest challenges for employers is retention. They want to know that you’re interested in growing with a company, or at the very least able to commit for a couple of years. Talk about your commitment to the right position, and that you want to move up the ladder in the company you land in. Make sure to talk about the value you wish to bring over the coming years.
• Listening skills: Recruiters want to know that you’ll work well with others, and a big part of that is being able to listen well. This may seem obvious, but use your active listening skills during the interview to show your attentiveness.

Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.