Adriane Schwager, the CEO and co-founder of GrowthAssistant, a hiring platform, has extensive experience in recruiting and making successful hires. She emphasizes that two underrated traits she seeks in potential hires are resourcefulness and proactivity, which are crucial in assessing if she’s hiring the right person.
To gauge proactivity, Schwager listens for candidates who can provide examples of how they solved a problem they weren’t asked to solve. Additionally, she values individuals who can be resourceful and demonstrate problem-solving abilities even with limited funds and staffing.
Early-career workers with limited experience can exhibit these traits in an interview by showing creative ways they have taken initiative and demonstrated proactivity and resourcefulness in their previous roles. Schwager believes that candidates can showcase these skills by discussing experiences, such as taking ownership of a small contribution to a team project or showing resourcefulness in challenging situations, even from part-time jobs during high school or college.
This approach allows candidates to highlight their capabilities in proactivity and resourcefulness, aligning with Schwager's hiring preferences.