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As we continue to navigate unique post-pandemic challenges and opportunities, hiring early career talent has never been more crucial. Recent university graduates bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a zest for learning that can invigorate your organization. Yet, identifying the right traits in these young professionals is key to ensuring a successful hire.
In this blog post, I will explore the top five behavioral characteristics and success criteria to look for when hiring early career talent, as well as five characteristics that may signal a potential mismatch based on my experience learning and managing early career programs.
I’ve included a few example questions that you can ask in the interview process to gain better insight about the candidate. As a friendly reminder, the goal of these questions is not to disqualify candidates, but to better understand their work style, problem-solving ability, and how they might fit into your team.
Top 5 Characteristics to Seek in Early Career Talent
1. Adaptability
In a rapidly changing business environment, the ability to adapt to new situations and challenges is indispensable. Early career talent should demonstrate a willingness and capacity to adjust to changing circumstances, whether it's adapting to new technologies, learning new skills, or adjusting to unexpected changes.
Interview Question: Can you describe a time when you had to adjust your approach midway through a project due to unforeseen circumstances? How did you handle it and what was the outcome?
2. Curiosity and Eagerness to Learn
Recent graduates may not have extensive work experience, but their desire to learn can compensate for this. Candidates who are eager to acquire new knowledge, ask insightful questions, and show an interest in continuous learning often make for valuable additions to any team.
Interview Question: What is the most recent skill you've learned outside of your coursework or job? How did you go about learning it?
3. Collaboration
The modern workplace is all about teamwork. Candidates should be able to demonstrate their ability to work well with others, value diverse perspectives, and contribute effectively to a team. Look for evidence of successful group projects, sports teams, or other collaborative endeavors during their university years.
Interview Question: Tell me about a project or assignment where you had to collaborate with others to achieve a goal. What was your role in the team and how did you handle conflicts or differences of opinion?
4. Resilience
Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties and maintain a positive outlook. Early career professionals will inevitably face setbacks and challenges, but those who can bounce back and learn from these experiences are more likely to succeed.
Interview Question: Can you share an example of a significant setback you've faced? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it?
5. Strong Communication
Strong written and verbal communication skills are critical in virtually any job. Look for candidates who can articulate their thoughts clearly and effectively, whether it's in their resume, cover letter, or during the interview.
Interview Question: Can you share a situation where your communication skills significantly impacted a project or relationship? How did you ensure your message was clear and understood?
Top 5 Characteristics to Avoid in Early Career Talent
1. Entitlement
While ambition is a positive trait, entitlement — the belief that one inherently deserves privileges or special treatment — can be disruptive in a team environment. It can lead to dissatisfaction, conflict, and ultimately, a lack of productivity.
Interview Question: How do you handle situations when you don't receive something you believe you deserve (a promotion, recognition, etc.)?
2. Inflexibility
Candidates who are set in their ways, unwilling to adapt or learn new skills, can struggle in the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of modern work environments. This trait can limit their growth and the value they bring to your organization.
Interview Question: Tell me about a time when you had to quickly adapt to a new process or technology that you were unfamiliar with. How did you manage it?
3. Lack of Accountability
Employees who consistently pass the buck and avoid taking responsibility for their actions can be detrimental to your team’s morale and productivity. Look for candidates who are willing to own their mistakes and learn from them.
Interview Question: Describe a situation where a mistake was made and you were responsible. How did you handle it?
4. Poor Listening
Communication isn't just about talking; it's also about listening. Candidates who don't listen effectively can miss critical information, misinterpret instructions, and can have difficulty working in a team.
Interview Question: Can you give an example of when you misunderstood instructions and how you rectified the situation?
5. Job Hopping
While some job changes are inevitable, especially early in one's career, a pattern of frequent job changes may be a red flag. It could indicate a lack of commitment, inability to handle challenges, or difficulties getting along with colleagues.
Interview Question: You've had several jobs in a short period of time. Can you help me understand your job changes?
Hiring early career talent is both an opportunity and a big responsibility. By identifying these key traits, you can ensure that you're bringing on individuals who will not only contribute to your organization's success but also grow and develop under your guidance. So, as you navigate the exciting world of hiring new graduates, keep these traits in mind to ensure you find the right fit for your team. Good luck!
About Wally Bruner
Wally Bruner is a management consultant and Founder of Early Career Partners, a consulting firm that specializes in the design, development, and management of Early Career Programs. Wally is an expert and specializes in the development, launch and management of early career onboarding and training programs and has provided leadership to such companies as CA Technologies, Salesforce, Amazon Web Services and Oracle. In Addition, Wally co-chairs the Cross Academy Association for Early Career Programs, an Industry association that promotes and supports global organizations and their early career practitioners.
As we continue to navigate unique post-pandemic challenges and opportunities, hiring early career talent has never been more crucial. Recent university graduates bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a zest for learning that can invigorate your organization. Yet, identifying the right traits in these young professionals is key to ensuring a successful hire.
In this blog post, I will explore the top five behavioral characteristics and success criteria to look for when hiring early career talent, as well as five characteristics that may signal a potential mismatch based on my experience learning and managing early career programs.
I’ve included a few example questions that you can ask in the interview process to gain better insight about the candidate. As a friendly reminder, the goal of these questions is not to disqualify candidates, but to better understand their work style, problem-solving ability, and how they might fit into your team.
Top 5 Characteristics to Seek in Early Career Talent
1. Adaptability
In a rapidly changing business environment, the ability to adapt to new situations and challenges is indispensable. Early career talent should demonstrate a willingness and capacity to adjust to changing circumstances, whether it's adapting to new technologies, learning new skills, or adjusting to unexpected changes.
Interview Question: Can you describe a time when you had to adjust your approach midway through a project due to unforeseen circumstances? How did you handle it and what was the outcome?
2. Curiosity and Eagerness to Learn
Recent graduates may not have extensive work experience, but their desire to learn can compensate for this. Candidates who are eager to acquire new knowledge, ask insightful questions, and show an interest in continuous learning often make for valuable additions to any team.
Interview Question: What is the most recent skill you've learned outside of your coursework or job? How did you go about learning it?
3. Collaboration
The modern workplace is all about teamwork. Candidates should be able to demonstrate their ability to work well with others, value diverse perspectives, and contribute effectively to a team. Look for evidence of successful group projects, sports teams, or other collaborative endeavors during their university years.
Interview Question: Tell me about a project or assignment where you had to collaborate with others to achieve a goal. What was your role in the team and how did you handle conflicts or differences of opinion?
4. Resilience
Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties and maintain a positive outlook. Early career professionals will inevitably face setbacks and challenges, but those who can bounce back and learn from these experiences are more likely to succeed.
Interview Question: Can you share an example of a significant setback you've faced? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it?
5. Strong Communication
Strong written and verbal communication skills are critical in virtually any job. Look for candidates who can articulate their thoughts clearly and effectively, whether it's in their resume, cover letter, or during the interview.
Interview Question: Can you share a situation where your communication skills significantly impacted a project or relationship? How did you ensure your message was clear and understood?
Top 5 Characteristics to Avoid in Early Career Talent
1. Entitlement
While ambition is a positive trait, entitlement — the belief that one inherently deserves privileges or special treatment — can be disruptive in a team environment. It can lead to dissatisfaction, conflict, and ultimately, a lack of productivity.
Interview Question: How do you handle situations when you don't receive something you believe you deserve (a promotion, recognition, etc.)?
2. Inflexibility
Candidates who are set in their ways, unwilling to adapt or learn new skills, can struggle in the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of modern work environments. This trait can limit their growth and the value they bring to your organization.
Interview Question: Tell me about a time when you had to quickly adapt to a new process or technology that you were unfamiliar with. How did you manage it?
3. Lack of Accountability
Employees who consistently pass the buck and avoid taking responsibility for their actions can be detrimental to your team’s morale and productivity. Look for candidates who are willing to own their mistakes and learn from them.
Interview Question: Describe a situation where a mistake was made and you were responsible. How did you handle it?
4. Poor Listening
Communication isn't just about talking; it's also about listening. Candidates who don't listen effectively can miss critical information, misinterpret instructions, and can have difficulty working in a team.
Interview Question: Can you give an example of when you misunderstood instructions and how you rectified the situation?
5. Job Hopping
While some job changes are inevitable, especially early in one's career, a pattern of frequent job changes may be a red flag. It could indicate a lack of commitment, inability to handle challenges, or difficulties getting along with colleagues.
Interview Question: You've had several jobs in a short period of time. Can you help me understand your job changes?
Hiring early career talent is both an opportunity and a big responsibility. By identifying these key traits, you can ensure that you're bringing on individuals who will not only contribute to your organization's success but also grow and develop under your guidance. So, as you navigate the exciting world of hiring new graduates, keep these traits in mind to ensure you find the right fit for your team. Good luck!
About Wally Bruner
Wally Bruner is a management consultant and Founder of Early Career Partners, a consulting firm that specializes in the design, development, and management of Early Career Programs. Wally is an expert and specializes in the development, launch and management of early career onboarding and training programs and has provided leadership to such companies as CA Technologies, Salesforce, Amazon Web Services and Oracle. In Addition, Wally co-chairs the Cross Academy Association for Early Career Programs, an Industry association that promotes and supports global organizations and their early career practitioners.
As we continue to navigate unique post-pandemic challenges and opportunities, hiring early career talent has never been more crucial. Recent university graduates bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a zest for learning that can invigorate your organization. Yet, identifying the right traits in these young professionals is key to ensuring a successful hire.
In this blog post, I will explore the top five behavioral characteristics and success criteria to look for when hiring early career talent, as well as five characteristics that may signal a potential mismatch based on my experience learning and managing early career programs.
I’ve included a few example questions that you can ask in the interview process to gain better insight about the candidate. As a friendly reminder, the goal of these questions is not to disqualify candidates, but to better understand their work style, problem-solving ability, and how they might fit into your team.
Top 5 Characteristics to Seek in Early Career Talent
1. Adaptability
In a rapidly changing business environment, the ability to adapt to new situations and challenges is indispensable. Early career talent should demonstrate a willingness and capacity to adjust to changing circumstances, whether it's adapting to new technologies, learning new skills, or adjusting to unexpected changes.
Interview Question: Can you describe a time when you had to adjust your approach midway through a project due to unforeseen circumstances? How did you handle it and what was the outcome?
2. Curiosity and Eagerness to Learn
Recent graduates may not have extensive work experience, but their desire to learn can compensate for this. Candidates who are eager to acquire new knowledge, ask insightful questions, and show an interest in continuous learning often make for valuable additions to any team.
Interview Question: What is the most recent skill you've learned outside of your coursework or job? How did you go about learning it?
3. Collaboration
The modern workplace is all about teamwork. Candidates should be able to demonstrate their ability to work well with others, value diverse perspectives, and contribute effectively to a team. Look for evidence of successful group projects, sports teams, or other collaborative endeavors during their university years.
Interview Question: Tell me about a project or assignment where you had to collaborate with others to achieve a goal. What was your role in the team and how did you handle conflicts or differences of opinion?
4. Resilience
Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties and maintain a positive outlook. Early career professionals will inevitably face setbacks and challenges, but those who can bounce back and learn from these experiences are more likely to succeed.
Interview Question: Can you share an example of a significant setback you've faced? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it?
5. Strong Communication
Strong written and verbal communication skills are critical in virtually any job. Look for candidates who can articulate their thoughts clearly and effectively, whether it's in their resume, cover letter, or during the interview.
Interview Question: Can you share a situation where your communication skills significantly impacted a project or relationship? How did you ensure your message was clear and understood?
Top 5 Characteristics to Avoid in Early Career Talent
1. Entitlement
While ambition is a positive trait, entitlement — the belief that one inherently deserves privileges or special treatment — can be disruptive in a team environment. It can lead to dissatisfaction, conflict, and ultimately, a lack of productivity.
Interview Question: How do you handle situations when you don't receive something you believe you deserve (a promotion, recognition, etc.)?
2. Inflexibility
Candidates who are set in their ways, unwilling to adapt or learn new skills, can struggle in the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of modern work environments. This trait can limit their growth and the value they bring to your organization.
Interview Question: Tell me about a time when you had to quickly adapt to a new process or technology that you were unfamiliar with. How did you manage it?
3. Lack of Accountability
Employees who consistently pass the buck and avoid taking responsibility for their actions can be detrimental to your team’s morale and productivity. Look for candidates who are willing to own their mistakes and learn from them.
Interview Question: Describe a situation where a mistake was made and you were responsible. How did you handle it?
4. Poor Listening
Communication isn't just about talking; it's also about listening. Candidates who don't listen effectively can miss critical information, misinterpret instructions, and can have difficulty working in a team.
Interview Question: Can you give an example of when you misunderstood instructions and how you rectified the situation?
5. Job Hopping
While some job changes are inevitable, especially early in one's career, a pattern of frequent job changes may be a red flag. It could indicate a lack of commitment, inability to handle challenges, or difficulties getting along with colleagues.
Interview Question: You've had several jobs in a short period of time. Can you help me understand your job changes?
Hiring early career talent is both an opportunity and a big responsibility. By identifying these key traits, you can ensure that you're bringing on individuals who will not only contribute to your organization's success but also grow and develop under your guidance. So, as you navigate the exciting world of hiring new graduates, keep these traits in mind to ensure you find the right fit for your team. Good luck!
About Wally Bruner
Wally Bruner is a management consultant and Founder of Early Career Partners, a consulting firm that specializes in the design, development, and management of Early Career Programs. Wally is an expert and specializes in the development, launch and management of early career onboarding and training programs and has provided leadership to such companies as CA Technologies, Salesforce, Amazon Web Services and Oracle. In Addition, Wally co-chairs the Cross Academy Association for Early Career Programs, an Industry association that promotes and supports global organizations and their early career practitioners.
