How to hire for curiosity

Curiosity is a desire to learn, explore. discover and grow.

It’s a soft skill that relates to a deep thirst for knowledge that encourages us to constantly ask questions, embrace new challenges, and seek out new experiences. High and consistent levels of curiosity correlate with mental wellbeing and life satisfaction.

Curious people also seem less susceptible to depression and mental illness.

In a team environment, sometimes we get stuck in our ways and approaches to challenges. Curious people ask lots of questions, explore new ideas and in doing so challenge the status quo. Team members are encouraged to seek out new information, which leads to a more open-minded approach to problem-solving. Creativity is a key tool to strategically solving challenges.

When team members are curious, they are more likely to share ideas and engage in collaborative brainstorming sessions, leading to richer discussions and more innovative outcomes.

So how do you hire for curiosity? When evaluating candidates for curiosity, look for:

• A genuine interest in learning new things (curiosity)
• The ability to ask insightful questions (critical thinking)
• A tendency to explore different perspectives (prism thinking)
• Willingness to challenge assumptions (status quo)
• Enthusiasm for tackling complex problems (learn, re-learn, unlearn)

When recruiting, the hiring manager can also ask questions that identify a curiosity mindset in a candidate:

• “What are you most curious about in your current role?”
• “How do you stay updated on industry trends?”
• “Tell me about a time you challenged a common assumption at work.”
• “What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned outside of work?”
• “If you could learn one new skill right now, what would it be and why”

Teams that cultivate curiosity, work in an environment that values questions, encourages diverse thinking, and sees failure as a learning opportunity. Hiring for curiosity stimulates innovation in a team and can significantly enhance problem-solving, innovation and adaptability. Our Talent Trace team are skilled at identifying traits for curiosity at various seniority levels and across a wide range of industries.

At Talent Trace, we are a 100% Black female owned business, we understand how to identify curiosity in a candidate first hand. Our team is led by an Organisational Psychologist. In a team environment, curious people ask lots of questions, explore new ideas and in doing so challenge the status quo. Team members are encouraged to seek out new information, which leads to a more open-minded approach to problem-solving. Our team are skilled at identifying these key characteristics to help you find the right fit first time.

 Let our Talent Trace team help you hire for curiosity in new candidates.