What Do Hiring Managers Look for in the Perfect Candidate?

Hiring managers are very savvy. They practice their due diligence to get the right candidate to hire for their open positions. So what does this mean for you? You, being the candidate for the job, must always be aware of your internet reputation. That’s right, INTERNET REPUTATION! 

The hiring manager’s first stop is the job boards where they post their job openings, such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and others. Their next stop are all the social media sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Anywhere they can type in your name, and your profile comes up, that’s where they will look. Any questionable comments, groups, and posts that belong to you is part of the detective work that a hiring manager does.

Hiring managers do this to see if the candidate will be a good fit for their company culture. If a hiring manager only hired on ability alone, life would be really easy for both the applicant and the hiring manager, but unfortunately there is more to it than that.

Company culture has been defined in many different ways, but the best definition we have seen is a set of shared merits, objectives, beliefs, and practices that define an organization.  Hiring managers want someone that would be a great fit for the company. 

Case in point, let’s say you applied to Disney for a job as an animation director. You have all the qualifications, experience and are obviously talented, but your social media is full of questionable remarks and activity that is not conducive to the family-friendly company culture that the Disney Company represents, the hiring manager that initially noticed your application is now tossing it. 

When the hiring manager gets to your LinkedIn profile, for goodness sake, make sure it is current! This includes the picture and summary. If you are in your early fifties, don’t refer to high school unless there was an earth-shattering event that completely changed your life. 

Another important point is to align both your resume and summary to the job you are seeking.  Remember, unless you have the career of your dreams, every day is an opportunity for your career to flourish, so stay mindful.

Be very cognizant of what you are posting and how that could affect your career. Also, be mindful of the activities that you indulge in. If this sounds too restrictive, then perhaps rethink your career goals. Companies want talented people who fit into their company culture like a glove. Let’s face it, when you get together with like-minded people, it’s the best, and that’s exactly what the hiring manager is looking for…the best for their company.

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