5 types of candidates you'll see in every interview

Every candidate you encounter will have unique abilities, experiences and talents. One of the primary challenges of hiring is to understand what each candidate brings to the table in terms of skill, motivation, attitude and cultural fit. A resume, cover letter and short interview can't always show you the full picture of each individual.

By working with expert recruiters, companies can improve the average quality of hire. Recruiters have seen every type of candidate under the sun; they have a deep understanding of what makes a great candidate.

Understanding job candidates

The ability to identify the qualities that make job applicants trustworthy is a learned skill. Only after conducting hundreds of phone and in-person interviews can you begin to develop a sixth sense for who will make a great hire. Recruiters use every tool available to assess candidates and make informed decisions about their ability to fulfill the responsibilities of a given role.

With years of experience, recruiters can notice patterns of behavior that indicate whether candidates will do well in a position. They begin to pick up on the signs of individuals who will disappear from the recruitment pipeline. They start to recognize who will make a great leader.

A combination of interviews, assessments and years of insight empowers recruiters to make hiring decisions that will ultimately benefit the organization and drive it toward its business goals. Hiring is a people-oriented process that requires a keen understanding of human behavior.

Check out our infographic below to see five types of candidate you're likely to encounter in almost every interview: