If you are the person making the hiring decision, here are five ‘tells’ that will help you determine whether the candidate sitting in front of you would indeed be a good hire. Applicants should pay attention, because knowing what a hiring manager is looking for can provide useful insight with regard to how you choose to conduct yourself in your next job interview or in future sales situations.

1. Was the candidate interested enough to ask questions, or did they simply response to what was being asked? If they were shy about asking, was it because they felt intimidated, overwhelmed, or just didn’t seem interested in the opportunity?
2. How did the candidate demonstrate they were prepared and had put some thought into the specific opportunity?
3. Was the candidate interested in your business and hiring objectives? To what extent did they raise and explore important issues and focus on helping you accomplish these goals?
4. How much of the candidate’s pre-interview or follow up communication was person-to-person as opposed to hiding behind the electronic veil of email or the Internet?
5. What did the candidate do to differentiate themselves from other candidates who were interested in the position?

Having a good-looking, professional resume is definitely a plus if you are seeking a new career opportunity. But, any good salesperson will tell you that just having a nice ‘product brochure’ is not enough to guarantee success when meeting with an actual client. The candidate must also have a certain confidence for how to conduct a meeting, and a vision for how they are going to be successful in the position.