In today’s job market, you often need to demonstrate more than just the necessary attributes to get noticed and hired. There are some specific traits that almost every employer looks for in candidates during the recruiting process, irrespective of the firm, job role, or pay range. The most desired employee qualities are frequently ubiquitous, even if certain vocations require an infinite variety of skills. 

There is a lot of competition in today’s job market, and recruiters are looking for the best talent to hire for their organization. Technical abilities will make you stand out immediately, but hiring managers are aware of the significant implications soft skills have on the ethos and efficiency of the business. But what do recruiters look for in prospective employees? What qualities and abilities are they looking for in new hires? Read on to discover some of the abilities that stand out to recruiters in candidates.

Check out: How Online Manipal has helped learners become industry ready 

Attributes that recruiters look for in prospective employees

Here are some attributes and qualities that hiring managers are looking for in a candidate which can help you stand out during the hiring process:

• Willingness to learn 

Employers want to hire individuals who can consistently contribute to their organization, whether it’s by rising to senior roles or by bringing in fresh skill sets and expertise. Taking online classes is one way to illustrate to recruiters that you are planning for the future, contemplating your upcoming role or the in-demand skills your industry may demand in the coming years. Your willingness to learn and progress will come across in your attitude, and your interviewing skills may also get a boost.

• Ability to adapt to the evolving job market

Employees must be prepared to adapt as skills evolve in today’s job landscape. Additionally, with the advent of hybrid job categories, it’s vital to efficiently acquire and blend diverse skills. The ability to tweak the challenges of the job market can be exhibited by studying a discipline that doesn’t correspond to your existing background. Equip yourself for hybrid careers in developing sectors by mastering in-demand skill sets like data analytics and digital marketing to stand out to organizations.

• Effective communication 

Individuals should be intellectual and adept at using a combination of both verbal and nonverbal channels, including social media, email, telephone, in-person interactions, and others. This trait facilitates the development of strong commercial ties and interactions with different organizational departments. Effective communication helps a candidate stay connected with the business for potential prospects in the future, even if they are spurned in the interview.

Also read: Investing in your future: The importance of skill development for career success

• Leadership traits

Technical expertise and an impressive resume are undoubtedly important attributes in a job application, but they aren’t always sufficient to set you apart. Employers are especially interested in whether or not you possess the leadership skills required for managing and executive positions. You’ll be better able to motivate others to join you in working toward your team’s goals by mastering soft skills like cooperation and collaboration.

• Passion for work

The passion a candidate has for their profession is among the most crucial traits a recruiter looks for. Recruiters seek candidates who are enthusiastic about their work, the business they work for, and the cause they are supporting. All of the employee characteristics are undoubtedly significant, but work passion is extremely considerable. While unenthusiastic employees may accomplish their tasks for a while, if they lack passion for the work, they are missing the essential component for sustainable, long-term performance in the business.

• High emotional quotient (EQ)

Applicants with low emotional quotient tend to undermine the workplace since they demoralize both themselves and their coworkers. The management then has to invest a lot of time in making the workplace positive and zealous. The straightforward qualities that enable emotionally intelligent individuals to stand out and grab the notice of both current and potential employers include:

1. The skill to motivate and convince others.
2. Inspiration to advance in all fields.
3. Having the competence to manage leadership challenges.

• Cultural fit

Cultural fit is a crucial consideration for the majority of professions when it comes to recruiting. You’ll probably be asked queries during an interview to ascertain whether or not you suit the corporate culture. Being genuine and being who you are is the best approach to disseminating your ideals. Additionally, it’s a smart option to do some preliminary study on the company’s culture and provide instances of how you’d fit in. 

• Teamwork

Teamwork is crucial for all businesses, from startups to large multinational enterprises, as a company is never run by one individual. No business wants to recruit a candidate who struggles to work well in a team environment and produces deliverables more quickly and efficiently. The applicant should provide optimism to the workplace and be a team player.

Also read: Top 10 fastest growing digital skills 2023

Wrapping up 

It’s a wise move to be aware of what recruiters are looking for in candidates when preparing your portfolio and getting ready for interviews. As recruiters look to hire the best applicant available for the position, the characteristics discussed above will help you stand out from the crowd and gain an advantage over your contemporaries. You’ll be a step closer to getting your dream job if you show the abilities and experience hiring managers would like to see. 

Today, most colleges and universities, both online and on-campus, are preparing their students to stand out in the job market by providing the necessary placement training besides providing them with academic knowledge. Online Manipal is one such e-learning platform of Manipal University Jaipur(MUJ) that offers UGC-entitled online degrees with industry-relevant curriculum and placement assistance. Students who want to get a degree from a safe environment and working professionals who want to upskill themselves without quitting their jobs can opt for online degrees offered by MUJ.

Check out: Hear from Online Manipal learners on how they have been trained to face placements 

As you prepare for your interview, you may consider preparing for the questions an employer will most likely ask you. While there’s no way to know for sure what topics they cover, you can expect commonly asked interview questions.

While having a prefabricated response for every interview question is not recommended, it is highly valuable to become acquainted with what you could be asked. You’ll also get to know what hiring managers are truly looking for in your response and what is necessary to prove that you’re the ideal person for the position.

Each interviewer is unique, and their questions may differ. You may generate interesting talking points for your next job interview by preparing responses to these frequent interview questions.

Also read: The different types of interviews & how to handle them

Commonly Asked Interview Questions

The following set of questions is some of the most popular questions in job interviews. Having a grasp of these answers will help you ensure that you always come prepared to answer the common interview questions and seem confident.

Following are the answers to the mentioned questions:

Q. Tell me about yourself.

Since this question appears straightforward, many individuals neglect to prepare for it, yet it is critical. Instead of giving your whole professional (or personal) history, deliver a pitch that’s concise, captivating, and demonstrates why you’re the best match for the position. It is advised to utilize a present, past, and future formula. 

Q. In what ways can you contribute to the organization?

Talk about your present job, including the scope and potentially one major accomplishment, and then provide some history on how you got there and related experience. Finally, explain why you desire and are qualified for this position. 

If you are a fresher, highlight your skills you acquired and your accomplishments during your degree program. You can also speak about some interesting project ideas or pitches. 

Q. What are the key issues in your field/industry today?

Interviewers who pose this query are not merely trying to find out about your history. They want to know that you are aware of the issues and challenges facing the organization or field, as well as how you will fit in with the current structure. To understand whatever problems you are being hired to solve, attentively review the job description, research the company, and pay attention in your initial rounds of interviews. Therefore, the idea is to tie your talents and experiences to what the organization requires and offer an example of how you’ve done similar or transferrable work in the past.

Check out: Commonly asked behavioural interview questions and how to answer them

Q. Why should we hire you?

This interview question appears straightforward, if not daunting! But if you’re asked this, you’re in luck! There is no greater opportunity to pitch yourself and your abilities to the hiring manager. The trick here is to come up with an answer that convinces the interviewer of the following: 

• That you are able to do the task and produce quality results
• That you’ll get along with the group and the culture well
• That compared to the other applicants, you would make a better hiring choice

Q. What in your opinion are your strengths and weaknesses?

When employers ask this question, they test whether you are aware of your positive traits and how you will use them in your workplace. Be confident when you’re mentioning your strengths as it reflects your honesty. Evaluate your strengths and see how you can connect it with the job role you are applying for. Employers also want to know your weaknesses and evaluate how you will work on them eventually. 

Q. How do you manage to work under pressure?

You could feel the impulse to dodge this question to demonstrate that you are the ideal candidate and capable of handling everything. But it’s crucial to avoid passing this off, so refrain from saying things like, “I simply put my attention down and push through everything” or “I don’t get stressed out.” 

Instead, discuss your tried-and-true methods for coping with stress, such as 10 minutes of daily meditation, running, keeping an extremely-detailed to-do list, effective communication, and other proactive measures. The cherry on the cake would be if you could provide a specific example of a challenging scenario you overcame.

Q. Tell me about a difficult situation you faced with a colleague.

It is important to give an honest answer when this question arises. The employer basically wants to know how you overcome a challenging situation. Consider talking about how you handled the situation positively without hurting the sentiments of your co-worker. The answer you give tests your communication skills, integrity, negotiation skills and ability to react to unexpected situations. In case you haven’t had a tough situation with a colleague, you can speak about a personal instance and explain how you dealt with it. 

Q. What are your short-term/long-term goals?

The interviewer asks this question with a curiosity to understand whether your goals have a realistic future. This helps them evaluate whether you will be able to achieve the company’s goals. Give a clear answer and as to how your goals align with your job role. Your answer must convince the employer that your goals also help you grow professionally and personally. Also, don’t promise unrealistic goals; try to give a realistic framework.

Q. Where do you see yourself five years from now?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions in interviews. Understand your job description and analyze how you would want to improve your skills and knowledge in order to move to a senior position in the coming years. For instance, you can say, “I’m excited to take up this job role and I see myself as an expert in this domain after five years.” You could also speak about leading a team since you will have relevant experience five years into your job role.

Q. Do you have any questions for me?

Most candidates’ answer for this question is a no. Many don’t realize that they have lost an opportunity to find out about the organization you are going to work in. Try asking questions about the role, the scope of the role in future and the kind of skills you need to work on to ace the role.

Check out: Negotiating salary and benefits during job offers

Things to consider before appearing for an interview

Here are some things to keep in mind before you appear for an interview

• Research about the company: An essential step in the process of job searching is researching potential employers. Knowing a company well may help you decide whether a job opportunity fits your career aspirations, allow you to customize your application and CV, and help you stand out from the competition, particularly during an interview.

• Review the job description: The tasks and obligations of a given position are clearly understood when one is sufficiently familiar with the job description. An employee’s required education, training, and abilities are often listed in a job description, providing candidates with a general idea of their self-evaluation and preparedness.

• Practice introducing yourself: What you do, who you are, and why others should care about you are all explained in a self-introduction. Include information about yourself, such as your name, preferred occupation, and significant facts. You can provide a brief self-introduction during a job interview to assist the interviewer in getting to know you better and gauging your confidence level and presentation. Therefore, the more practice you have with it, the more you will get from the interview question about yourself.

• Have positivity in body language: A prominent example of non-verbal communication is body language, which puts us in a state of comfort, likeability, and respect. Also referred to as open body language, it helps us get comfortable during conversations and is thus an important attribute in cracking a job interview.

• Strike the right tone:  A confident tone is necessary for a candidate to make a good impression during the interview, and speaking clearly will help indicate effective communication. They must also watch out for becoming too casual or intimate.

• Highlight your skills based on the job roles: The best way to show off your abilities and skill set is by using illustrations. By demonstrating how your skills have been put to use, you could persuade the hiring manager that you are a suitable fit for the job. Instead of bragging about how well you utilized your skills, explain how they align with the company’s requirements.

Also read: The role of placement support services in bridging the job readiness gap

Be interview-ready with Online Manipal placement assistance services

To make sure that all students pursuing various online courses through Online Manipal secure jobs right after completion of their courses, Online Manipal provides placement assistance services which include resume building, interview preparation tips, skill assessment & advancement, industry-readiness sessions, and placement drives. By participating in these placement training activities, students can improve their chances of getting a job.

Conclusion 

While the mentioned common interview questions will greatly help you, do not entirely rely on them, as interviewers always try to bring unique parameters to the interview of a potential candidate.

There are a few more aspects that might benefit you in a job interview, and you must ensure to go through them, such as preparing your responses to the scenario interview questions. For example, a gap in your job history, the reason for your termination, etc. All the best for your upcoming interview!

The coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives drastically and has also changed the way we do things. One such change that the pandemic has brought about is the shift to virtual hiring. The process of hiring is changing drastically. Virtual hiring is on the rise, and most interviews now take place through video calls. According to reports, 60% of recruiters use videoconferencing for candidate interviews.

So, what is virtual hiring? Virtual hiring is a type of recruitment process that is conducted entirely online through virtual placement drives. Many companies are using this process to hire new employees, which has recently gained traction. 

For example, e-commerce giant Amazon introduced its Virtual Recruiter, an Alexa-enabled project available only on Android, to assist candidates in accessing all pertinent details about the company to prepare for the screening process and use training materials. Virtual hiring technology played a crucial role in the recruiting process at Tredence, a Data Science and Artificial Intelligence engineering company, which has tripled its staff to more than 1,200 employees since the COVID pandemic.

You can also read, Are recruiters in favor of hiring candidates with online degrees?

What is the process of virtual hiring?

The process of virtual hiring is fairly simple. It starts with a job posting, where the company outlines the job requirements and details for the position. Interested candidates submit their resumes and applications online. The company then reviews the applications and shortlists the best candidates. 

After shortlisting, the company contacts the candidates and sets up a virtual interview. During the interview, the interviewer gets to know the candidate and their skills and abilities better. Once the interview is over, the company reviews the feedback and makes a final decision.

How to host a virtual hiring event?

To create a successful virtual hiring event, you should ensure that the platform you are using is secure and user-friendly, provide job seekers with detailed information about the job, and get feedback from both interviewers and job seekers.

You can learn more about preparing for the post-Covid-19 world.

Advantages of virtual hiring

The advantages of virtual hiring are huge for both employers and candidates. For employers, the cost-effectiveness and time-saving of virtual hiring are unparalleled. Employers no longer need to spend time and money on in-person interviews or travel to the candidate’s location. Furthermore, recruitment paperwork is reduced drastically. From the candidate’s point of view, virtual hiring provides the opportunity to apply for more jobs without the hassle of traveling. Candidates can also use the virtual interview platform to demonstrate their skills more effectively. All in all, the numerous advantages of virtual hiring are undeniable and can help employers and candidates alike to benefit from the process.

Key differences between virtual hiring and traditional hiring

Below are the key differences between virtual and traditional hiring that you must know.

Check out: Interview follow-up and post-interview etiquette

Online Manipal prepares students for Virtual Interviews

With the shift to virtual hiring, job seekers must be prepared for virtual job interviews. Online Manipal, the e-learning platform of Manipal University Jaipur which provides a wide range of online UG and PG degrees also assists students in preparing for virtual job interviews through resume building and Interview preparation tips. It provides students with the tools and resources needed to make a successful job interview and land their dream job.

Also read: Hear from OM learners on how they have been trained to face placements 

Conclusion

Virtual hiring has become an increasingly popular recruitment method as it is cost-effective, time-saving, and efficient. It also eliminates the need for job seekers to travel for interviews and allows them to apply for more positions. With appropriate preparation and guidance, job seekers can ace their virtual interviews and secure their desired job. Additionally, you should also ensure that the virtual hiring process is organized and structured to maximize efficiency.

A job interview is a conversation between a job applicant and an employer or a representative to determine the hiring of new employees. A structured interview is one in which a candidate is asked a predetermined list of questions in a specific order. Interviews can range from completely unstructured and free-form conversations to structured interviews. Let’s look at the different types of interviews.

Check out: Commonly asked interview questions and how to answer them

What are the different types of interviews?

Interviews are a critical part of the hiring process, and they help you assess whether a candidate is right for the job and determine if they would fit into the company’s culture. There are many different types of interviews, such as:

Face-to-face interviews

Face-to-face interviews are the most common and are conducted in person. Interviewers like face-to-face interviews because it allows them to observe your body language and eye contact for as long as necessary. 

• Prepare for the interview by researching the company and the position you are applying for. It can help you clearly understand what they are looking for in an employee and how your skills align with that.
• Professional attire is a must. Make sure you look polished and put-together but also comfortable.
• Be prepared for questions about anything from your background to your interests outside of work—they want to know who you are as much as they want to know what makes you qualified for this role.

Video interview

Video interviews are becoming more common and are a good way to get a sense of the candidate’s personality. Video interviews are usually done remotely via video conferencing tools, so it is convenient for both parties involved. 

• Make sure you’re comfortable with your surroundings. You don’t want to be distracted by loud noises or bright lights.
• Have some questions prepared ahead of time. You can even write them down on paper so that you don’t have to think about what to ask.

Also read: Tips to ace your interview

Recorded interviews

Recorded interviews are pretty self-explanatory. They’re recorded on a device, and you’ll be able to watch them back later if you want to see how your answers came across on camera. Your interviewer will ask the questions and record them rather than asking them in real time in front of you.

• Research well about the company and the job profile you’re applying for.
• Try to imagine you are talking to a real person, and don’t get nervous.

Group interviews

Group interviews are a great way to test your ability to work with others and handle pressure. You will be asked to discuss a problem or issue, and then you’ll be expected to work with other candidates on the same task. Group interviews require you to think on your feet, communicate clearly, and display leadership skills by facilitating problem-solving.

• Be prepared for potential curveballs. You never know what kind of question could come up—so make sure you have your elevator pitch ready.
• If you disagree with something someone else in your group has said, keep it positive and focus on what you agree with. It will help you build rapport with the interviewer and show them that you can work well with others.

Telephonic interview

A telephonic interview is an interview that’s held over the phone. Make sure you have a clear, professional-sounding voice, or perhaps get all your questions and answers written down before the big day. Telephonic interviews are most commonly used for candidates who are located in different cities or countries but can also be used to screen candidates who live nearby.

• Make sure your voice is clear, loud enough to be heard clearly, and without background noise or static interference.
• Listen carefully and respond appropriately.
• Don’t repeat yourself—this will show that you’re nervous and unsure of yourself.

Also read: What do recruiters across domains/ industries look for in candidates?

Case interview

Case interviews are used to assess your problem-solving skills, and many consulting firms often use them. Case interviews are structured interviews where the interviewer poses a business scenario or problem and asks you how you’d approach it. The goal is to evaluate how well you can think on your feet — how much of an analysis toolkit you have at your disposal for identifying different problems, breaking them down into smaller parts, coming up with potential solutions, and evaluating their feasibility before recommending one over another.

• Prepare thoroughly for the case interview. The best way to prepare for a case interview is to read through sample cases and practice answering them.
• Be ready with a few stories about yourself that showcase your strengths, particularly those that relate well to the company or industry you’re interviewing for. You can mention these stories when answering questions about yourself at the end of an interview.

Stress interviews

Stress interviews are designed to test your ability to handle stress and anxiety under pressure. The goal of the interviewee is usually to demonstrate that they have the right balance of self-confidence and humility while having reasonable expectations regarding their abilities and limitations.

• Take a deep breath if you feel you are getting worked up or stressed out—it will help calm your nerves and keep your mind focused on answering questions.
• Visualizing yourself succeeding is one of the best ways to manage your stress. Think about how you want to present yourself when you answer questions during an interview and imagine yourself confidently answering all of them correctly. It will help you stay focused on the task rather than worrying about what might go wrong.

Online Manipal makes you job-ready through vigorous interview preparation

Besides providing high quality education in online mode for learners from diverse backgrounds and regions, Online Manipal also assists learners to get placed right after completion of their online programs through rigorous placement training activities like interview preparation, resume building, skill assessments & enhancements, and placement drives.

Check out: Hear from OM learners on how they have been trained to face placements 

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a variety of types of interviews that you may encounter as a job seeker, and you can follow the simple tips provided above to successfully crack your interview. You can prepare for them by practicing, staying positive, and researching the company or person you’re interviewing.