What do recruiters look for while hiring people?

5 min readJun 30, 2020

You might have wondered how to get an internship or job in various companies while many of your friends and colleagues might have already bagged one. Don’t worry; we will guide you through some basic things that one needs to keep in mind while presenting himself/herself in front of the recruiter and how to crack the interview.

Let’s get started!

If you are looking for a job, then you will require comparatively more technical skills than a person looking for an internship, but that does not mean that you can get the job/internship solely on the basis of technical skills. There are a lot of other aspects as well.

One of the first things that the recruiter notices apart from technical skills is:

Attitude

Now, don’t confuse attitude with arrogance, but it is how confidently you can present yourself. It is how you can share your ideas or thoughts without hesitating. You need to have a positive and a learning mind set to make a mark in the mind of the recruiter. The more you can hustle, the more you are willing to learn and better your adaptability to various situations is what increases your chances to get hired. No one wants a person who is always gloomy and does not want to grow.

Personality

Your personality tells a lot about you. The way you talk, your manners, your ability to listen, they all say something about you. This lockdown has given us all the time in the world to work on our skills and hone them. You can improve your communication skills, work on your hygiene, practice confidence and what not. These are some small things which cause a great impact when used together. Discipline and humility are also two very important things which might help you a lot.

Achievements

A lot of people think that a good academic profile is the only way in a company. Now, good marks do create a good impression as it reflects your ownership towards a particular task, but they are not the only way through which you can get in.

Your achievements outside the academic world can also speak a lot for you. A lot of people think that if one hasn’t scored good marks, it is impossible for them to get a position in a good company, but it is not true. If you feel that academics is not you forte, then try to take the ownership for a task that you are good at. Try to explore various options, find you domain and then improve your skills.

Body Language

It is a part of personality and presentation. When you go for an interview and your body language radiates confidence, it leaves a positive impression in the mind of the recruiter. It signals that you really want this job/internship and also that you are very attentive. Whereas if you were slouching, not making eye contact, not using hand gestures while talking to the recruiter, then it leaves a not so good impression on the recruiter.

Originality

Recruiters can easily make out when a person is not revealing his/her true identity. They can tell who is faking it and who is not. It is best to be your original self because if you portray yourself to be someone who you are not, then you might get in trouble. Sooner or later, you will face some problems if you are hiding your true self.

Do you know something about us?

A lot of he recruiters like it when the candidate who is appearing for the interview has done some research about the company, its working, its motto, the job profile as it shows that the person is serious and really wants to work with them.

One should search on the internet about the company and find out as much as they can, as it really leaves a good impression on the minds of the recruiters.

Adaptability

No matter how good you are, but if the recruiter thinks that you won’t fit in the company’s atmosphere, and aren’t willing to change according the situations prevailing in the market, there is a high chance that you won’t get selected. You need to be a little flexible and try to adapt to the various changes happening around you.

Skills

You need to have the desired skill set for a particular role in an organisation. Whether you are applying for a job or an internship, you need to have some amount of skills in order to carry out the necessary tasks. A good skill set along with all the above mentioned points is just an awesome package and will increase your chances of cracking the interview.

Your expectations

A lot of people out there have some unrealistic expectations in terms of salary or experience when they are just starting to get into the corporate world. This might result in you not being selected because you need to keep in mind that the recruiter has a lot of options out there and you are just one of them. However, if you think that your performance was outstanding or you think that you deserve more, then you might negotiate a bit, but do proceed carefully.

Knowledge

You should have thorough knowledge about your field. All the confidence and personality will not matter if you don’t know your field properly. Your foundation about the topic should be really strong.

Communication skills

It is the most lethal skill in today’s generation. Good communication skills can do wonders for you and boost your chances of getting the job/internship. Communication can be written as well as oral. Honing your Communication skills will also help you in improving your personality.

It really creates a good impression when a candidate is able to express his/her thoughts clearly to the other person and is also a good listener. Listening is also a form of communication itself. A good combination of speaking and listening can make all the difference. You might have all the knowledge in the world, but if you are not able to express it properly, the recruiter might not be able to understand you properly.

These were some of the points which will definitely boost your chances to get the desired role in the organisation.

We can conclude that all the above points will definitely increase your chances of cracking the interview. But, one should keep in mind that there is always room for improvement and one should always strive for betterment. One interview cannot decide your future but it is your duty to be prepared for the same. Leave no stone unturned during the preparation and you will be more than happy for putting in your best efforts for the same.