One aspect of hiring quality staff members is finding those special candidates who are emotionally intelligent. Before you target them, employers need to understand the entire scope of what that means. Emotionally intelligent people by definition have the “capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.” This growing need for emotional intelligence is much like the growing demand for people skills. Skills like emotional intelligence are extremely important to companies since the economy is still in a post-recession/somewhat volatile state. Employers have in most cases more demands, pressures and a greater need for accountability. Many employers find candidates who are emotionally intelligent are more likely to be successful in their personal and professional lives.
Tips on Hiring Emotional Intelligent Candidates
Interviewing: Whether you’re doing a phone interview or an in-person interview, decide right away the type of questions you’ll use to reveal the emotional intelligence of the candidate. One recent article featured a few questions such as, “Who inspires you and why?” A question like that can reveal a candidate’s personality, highlighting some behavioral patterns. Also try using situational questions like, “Can you describe a time where you managed a project that had significant challenges?” Employers should pay attention to key responses and gauge where a candidate ranks with emotional intelligence.
What to Look For: Emotional intelligent candidates have a host of attributes that employers love, most of which that lead to open and honest communication during the hiring process and during their employment. These candidates are highly sought after because can interact well others which is essential in any corporate environment. They are more versatile in that they can work great independently or with a team. Their positivity is apparent and natural. These candidates can have meaningful dialogue about their work during the interview. They should be able to provide significant details about their work situations, including giving different points of view. Employers should ask questions to discover how they perform in stressful situations such as “Have you ever had to take on multiply job responsibilities?” A question like can provide insight into how a candidate manages stressful situations, how they respond and their resolution conflict abilities.
What to Avoid: Talking about a previous employer or work scenario can be tricky, but a candidate who lacks emotional intelligence will typically voice negative opinions about their experiences and blame others for leaving positions. During the interview process, you’ll notice more “I, I, I” statements and “Me, me, me,” instead of “We” discussions. You may even witness a lack of social skills, or even interest. These type of candidates won’t pick up on verbal cues you may want to hear about the position or the company. They may also criticize others they have worked with in the past.
Post Interview: We’ve discussed the importance of conducting a post interview evaluating of candidates in previous posts. When trying to find how emotionally intelligent a candidate is, we recommend asking questions like: How will that candidate fit in your corporate environment? How long will it take for the candidate to thrive in your current company? Do you see the candidate making a positive impact? By using these types of questions, you’ll be able to have a more adequate assessment of the candidates. Some of these questions may seem obvious but when searching for the right candidate, emotional intelligence cannot be overlooked.
If you’re interested in more information about targeting the right candidates for your business, contact us today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Ingrid Moore
Ingrid Moore is the President and Owner of Corporate Resources of Illinois, an employment & staffing agency with over 20+years’ experience located in Schaumburg, IL. Ingrid and her team assist employers with finding the right hire for their business. For more info, follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page, or follow us Corporate Resources of Illinois‘s Google+ page.
