How To Tell When A Candidate Is In It For The Long Run

How To Tell When A Candidate Is In It For The Long Run It is always tricky to determine a candidates  commitment to a role. Will they be in it for the long run or will they leave once theyve got out all they can from the job? It can be a costly process, hiring an individual and investing valuable time into their training for them to resign within the first couple of months. To minimise this risk, here are some tips to help you assess the potential candidates likeliness to commit to the role. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? It is essential this interview question is asked. The candidate is likely to have prepared an answer to this beforehand  however if they have not, their response can be a great indication  of their future plans. An unsure answer that provides no real insight can suggest they do not recognise the potential position as a future long-term role. Their plans and career aspirations need to match up to the companies. Ensuring both align and will work well together. Job history Do they have a history of job hopping? If so this could be an obvious way to determine whether or not they are ready to settle into the potential role. But dont jump to conclusions and instead understand their rationales behind only staying in previous  jobs for a short amount of time and ask them to explain their  past employment  in the interview. Job role and company knowledge Are they genuinely interested in the job or are they just applying for the sake of needing a job? In the interview, the tell-tale signs are when a candidate has done their company research and they show a real interest in the sector of work. Or when asked why did you apply for this job? They provide an answer that demonstrates a strong reason as to why this is their career of choice. Their skills and experience match the job description Hiring a underqualified or overqualified candidate can result in them feeling unsatisfied  or overwhelmed within their new role. Therefore it will increase the risk of them leaving and not being able to fully commit to the new job. It is essential the hiring manager understands the potential candidates capabilities before hiring them, to make sure both candidate and employer are happy. Eager to advance A newly hired candidate that shows initiative and eagerness to do well is a positive sign that they are willing to put the effort in to perform well and impress. Not only this but if they express their desire to advance in the future, then the individual clearly sees a future within the company. They settle well A happy employee is one who will settle well within their new team and with their new co-workers. Which means they will be likely to stay within their position for a longer period of time. Whereas if they do not get along with others or conflict arises the individual may start seeking new employment with a different company. To avoid this and encourage higher employee  retention  rates a manager can make them feel welcome through friendly introductions, workplace tours and even invite them out to lunch! Small first day gestures can make a big difference in the long run. Read more tips on how to welcome a new hire here.