NJ Chamber Members Reveal the Qualities They Look for in Job Candidates – and the Questions They Ask in Interviews

The Edge for January 2024

We asked New Jersey Chamber of Commerce members to talk about the unique qualities they look for in job candidates – and the questions they ask in interviews. Read more below.

Look For Beliefs and Values that Align with Your Company

I generally ask job candidates three simple questions: 1) What do you like about your current job? 2) What do you dislike about your current job? and 3) If you could create the perfect opportunity for yourself, what would it look like? I believe building a culture where people enjoy coming to work each day directly impacts the success of the organization, so it is my mission to retain and hire talent that aligns with our core values. A candidate with similar beliefs and values as the company can more easily adopt your company’s values and help strengthen the company’s culture.

– Mike Munoz, SVP & Market President, AmeriHealth

Would their Skill Set Complement the Team’s Strengths?

We ask candidates to tell us their greatest strengths, the accomplishments they are most proud of and why are they leaving their current organization. We take a holistic approach. Do they have the right skill set, and will those skills complement our employees’ current strengths? It helps if they have a friendly personality, too.

– Theresa Hinton, COO, New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA)

We Seek Agility, Communication Skills and Authenticity

At PwC, one key aspect we look for is agility - the ability to adapt and excel in different situations. A candidate’s agility can come through in various ways, whether it be by the different organizations they’re involved in or the various roles they have had in their professional and personal lives. Their ability to communicate those experiences and their points of view with authenticity during an interview can help showcase the passion and purpose they could bring to our team.

– Jon Hirschfeld, PwC, Partner

Are They Able to Have a Comfortable Conversation?

Whether we’re interviewing for entry-level or lateral attorney positions, all of our candidates have outstanding resumes. On paper, they’ve already earned our consideration. The challenge is identifying attorneys who will thrive in our firm and be able to provide top-notch advice to our clients. Just demonstrating the ability to have an easy, comfortable conversation with me or one of my colleagues is usually an excellent indication that a candidate is going to be able to cut it. If they can inspire confidence during the interview process, it’s a good sign they’ll be able to do so with our clients and the firm’s other attorneys.

– Kate E. Janukowicz, Director, Business & Commercial Litigation Group; Director of Professional Development, Retention, and Associate Recruitment, Gibbons P.C.

Candidates Must be Solutions-Oriented and Not Averse to Change

We seek diverse people who are innovative, solutions-oriented, curious, and not averse to change. If we’re trying to assess a candidate’s tolerance for change, we might ask, ‘Tell us about a time when you were asked to change the way you were working on a project. What did you do, and what happened as a result?’ We’re looking for individuals to share an actual situation, what they specifically did, the steps they took, and what resulted from their actions. We’re assessing not only their response but how they respond and their comfort with the topic. We establish an open and collaborative tone during our interviews, and provide candidates with an insider view of our culture. It’s one thing to tell people that Delta Dental is a great place to work; it’s another to see it in action.

– Lois Nagie, Director of Human Resources, Delta Dental of New Jersey

Ask These Three Questions

The following three questions allow candidates to open up and sell themselves.

1. What excited you most when you heard about this role?
2. Now that you understand the role, how has your previous experience positioned you for success?
3. What is the driving reason you are currently considering new opportunities?

– Nick Malefyt, President, Master Search Solutions

Ask Candidates for Real-Life Examples

We use questions that ask candidates to provide specific, real-life examples of their experiences and actions in the context of our mission and values. This gives us a good understanding of whether or not they have demonstrated the behaviors that align with the qualities we are looking for. Although not perfect, behavioral interview questions are a good predictor of future behavior and the responses can be confirmed through reference checking. We look for inclusive team players, collaborators, leaders, and people that demonstrate a commitment to professional excellence. Individuals with these qualities tend to be productive, enjoy their colleagues and fit in well at NJIT.

– Joseph R. Wilson, Interim Vice President for Human Resources, NJIT