Passion may be an overused word in the world of businesses and hiring processes.  However, being fully committed to and caring about what you do is an extremely attractive quality in an employee.  Passionate employees always produce the highest results.  Everyone can work, but hiring an employee that enjoys coming to work, exhibits go the extra mile energy, and strong dedication is essential for overall productivity.  As a manager, it’s essential that you look for passionate employees during the interview process.  Here are a few tips that’ll help you spot whether a candidate has the passion needed to help your organization succeed.

Pay attention to their interests and hobbies.
Ask a candidate what they’re interested in outside of the office.  Passionate people show great enthusiasm when sharing what they do, both in work and in life.  An applicant that’s excited to tell you about a sport they play or nonprofit they’re involved with, will more than likely bring enthusiasm to the office as well.  When someone is passionate about other aspects of their life, it carries over into their career. On the contrary, someone that isn’t engaged in activities outside of work may not be able to bring diverse thinking into their job.

Gauge body language.
When answering questions in an interview, body language and tone can tell a lot about how engaged someone is in their work.  Do their eyes light up or do they become animated when describing a previous issue they solved? Do you hear excitement in their voice when they talk about career goals? These are signs that an applicant is enthusiastic and passionate about what they do.  Be wary of a candidate that is monotone when describing what they liked about their last job or that doesn’t maintain strong eye contact when delivering responses.

Measure generosity.
Watching others succeed inspires passionate people.  They are the first to help out their coworkers and find joy in contributing to other’s success.  Ask interviewees how they have helped others in and outside of work.  Have they devoted time to a non-personal goal?  Do they contribute to a charity organization?

Make sure passions align with the job role.
Just as candidates have different strengths and weaknesses, they have unique passions.  It’s important to make sure the things a person is passionate about match well with the role you’re trying to fill.   A For example, a person that’s passionate about interacting with people won’t be happy sitting behind a desk.  By asking questions about the applicant’s previous accomplishments, you’ll be able to figure out where their passions are and determine whether they can direct those passions where you need.

Evaluate career goals.
Ask the candidate what they see themselves doing at your organization in three years.  If the interviewee is unprepared to answer this question it should raise a red flag.  Passionate people are goal oriented and are constantly striving to become better, smarter, and happier.  Their answer to this question should be something that is greater than what the candidate currently has to offer.

A candidate’s skills and qualifications are important, but at the end of the day it’s passionate employees that lead your company to great success. Let the professionals at RealStreet Staffing help find the top talent for your organization.  Our team of qualified recruiters will deliver talented engineering and construction professionals and design a staffing solution to fit your needs.  Contact us today and you’ll have an office full of passionate employees in no time.