When it comes time to hire, you need someone with the right combination of skills and abilities. If you want the best for your business, seek out candidates who have more to offer than just a good resume. In other words, look for candidates with growth potential. These are the candidates who may not possess the leadership skills today, but with a little nurturing and training, they can become world-class leaders of tomorrow.

Benefit to Your Company

When you hire for growth potential, your company benefits by getting a dynamic return on its investment. Think of it this way: If you hire a candidate for one position, and through support and training you enable them to fulfill their potential, they add value to your company increasing your bottom line. You’re not only helping them; you’re helping the company as well. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Recognizing Growth Potential

Here are three questions to ask during an interview to help identify growth potential in a candidate.

Have You Ever Had to ‘Shift Gears’ on the Job?

Being adaptable is an important characteristic in today’s job landscape. Candidates who aren’t adaptable aren’t cut out to be leaders of industry. Your ideal candidate should be quick to describe situations where their flexibility brought about a positive result. A candidate who slips into a panic at the first sign of change is not demonstrating growth potential.

Do You Have Any Outside Hobbies?

Hobbies or other interests outside of work are great indicators of a candidate with growth potential; someone with a desire to learn new things. Candidates who are open to learning are also open to growth. And it doesn’t matter what the hobby is – gardening, cooking, languages – anything that requires effort and study is a positive growth sign.

And if your candidate talks about a hobby that requires solitude, consider it a bonus. Being able to work on projects or tasks independently is another great indicator of growth potential.

What’s Your Perfect Job?

When it comes to determining growth potential, this question is absolutely essential. It will give you an understanding of their goals and ambitions. Based on your candidate’s answer to this question, you’ll be better able to assess their suitability for your company today, and for the long term.

Do you need help uncovering candidates with growth potential? Reach out the specialized staffing professionals at Morris Bixby today. Let their expertise help you grow your company.