The studies show us that top performers are up to 400 times more productive than the rest of us. Top performers are key to company productivity, so you want to fin as many as you can during the candidate selection process. But how can you find these overachievers? We have some tips that will help you identify top performers during the candidate interview process.
What To Look for in a Top Performer?
Top performers are more than just someone who fits the job requirement. Top performers are engaged, enthusiastic, and hard-working. They may be quiet or even a little introverted, or they may be the life of the party. However top performers all arrive on your doorstep with a track record of production in their prior roles. Look for these characteristics:
- Adaptability
- Organizational skills
- Dedication
- Long-tenures in prior roles
- Accountability
- Creativity
- Good troubleshooting skills
Talk with your hiring team about what you’re looking for in the role. They talk about the characteristics that have made other people good at the job in the past (assuming this isn’t a new role). As you write the job description, try to add these skills into the advertising you do to help attract the right kind of candidate.
Then create some behavioral questions that help ferret out these skills. For example:
- Say you’re looking for business skills beyond the candidate’s technical acumen. Try asking, “What was the goal of your last project? Tell me about it.” With this question, you’re looking for the candidate who can talk about the overarching strategy behind the tasks associated with the project. These candidates are the ones that can look toward the “why” of a project. Understanding this connection could make them more likely to remain engaged and motivated.
- What if you’re looking for a good collaborator? Try asking, “How long do you usually try to solve a problem before you ask for help?” You’re looking for someone who is willing to admit what they don’t know and ask for help when they need it. This shows a level of autonomy—they’re not going to wait for someone to tell them what to do. It also shows humility and a lack of arrogance that you want on a top-performing team. Finally, the candidate who asks for help quickly is always much more productive because they recognize that someone else with a longer tenure likely knows the answer. Instead of wasting time trying to figure something out, they just ask for help.
- Another good question is, “Give me an example of how you’ve become more productive in your job over time?” The longer someone stays on the job, the more efficient they can become. This shows a level of natural drive to get things done. Creating efficiencies can help with work/life balance, too. Instead of working late, these workplace efficiencies could help the high-performing employee get more things done more quickly and then go home.
If you’re looking for top-performing candidates to turn into top-producing employees, turn to Stellar Staffing. We have an excellent track record of sourcing, screening, and hiring the best talent. Call on us.
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