It's hardly breaking news that companies today are fighting to get the best people on their team – and we are no different. The fact is however that it really is so much easier said than done. Our success as a company is only as good as the success of our employees – and this requires that we know our employees really well.

"Here at Obton we want to develop and we want to be the best. This places great demands on the way we recruit our staff, particularly as it is our vision to have Denmark's strongest employees.

One of the overarching challenges is that we end up with very complex job descriptions due to the tasks involved. That, and the fact that there isn't really much 'business as usual' in our work. This makes both the screening of candidates and balancing expectations quite challenging."

So says Louise Tjørnager Jakobsen, who has been working with us as HR Business partner since the end of 2017. (In Obton-time that means she's almost an old face at the company).

Our business is growing – and doing so at a pace that reflects the fact we are a company with big plans – starting now.

An honest balancing of expectations is key

So what are your weaknesses? – is one of the old chestnuts of the job interview, which most applicants presumably prepare themselves to have to discuss with a potential employer. In essence, this is an important aspect to gain insight into, which is why it's also a subject that's high on the list in our own recruitment process.

"It's not about finding flaws," explains Louise, "but if we don't know what challenges the individual faces, then we have no chance of offering them support in the future. We consider it as really important and crucial for our collective and individual success in the long run.

"We need to put together the best teams, and this means we must be able to match colleagues that complement each other. Some people are very detail-oriented, while others are more focused on idea generation. Neither is better than the other, but together we can be a strong team that can succeed collectively.

How we can help applicants to open up

There must be more than a few who have succumbed to temptation and answered my greatest weakness is my perfectionism, when asked the aforementioned question. Louise sees it as quite understandable why you might feel tempted to respond in this way:

"It takes courage to open up and talk about these things, there's no doubt about that. Opening up can leave you feeling vulnerable – but nonetheless it's something we are curious about in the job interview." She explains that it is a big advantage if the candidate is not afraid to look inside themselves and not least to respond to the themes that may be brought to the table.

Louise's best advice to job-seekers who are invited to an interview – in any case with us – is to ensure that you have reflected beforehand as to why you see perfectionism as a limitation, for example. Because let’s face it: Can the fact that you complete your tasks to perfection really be categorised as a problem?

"You need to be able to put into words when a challenge is a challenge and how it expresses itself," she says – and emphasizes yet again that this part of the conversation is intended to optimise the potential for our ability to support our future colleague as best we can in their work with us.

This is also why we make a big deal out of asking what specifically motivates the candidate in their work. Naturally, we cover the skills and experience, but we always insist on getting an insight into the whole person."

And this is where we get to one of Louise's most important tasks in the recruitment process. When she invites candidates to interviews, she seeks to establish a space that makes it possible for them to answer as honestly as possible. "We set aside plenty of time for our interviews, and do all we can to create a pleasant atmosphere where we can get to know each other," she says.

A little tip: Examples, examples, examples ...

Louise has a tip for job applicants who are called for an interview with us: It's a good idea to bring a good portion of openness and the courage to have an honest conversation with you. Under your other arm, it can be a big help to take along plenty of examples.

Examples from previous working situations offer an excellent starting point for a specific conversation – about results, challenges and what motivates you. In this way, you have the best conditions for ensuring Louise and the rest of the recruitment team get the full picture in every case – and who knows, perhaps it might lead to us getting the pleasure of having you on the team?

If we do, you can look forward to being part of a workplace where Louise and her colleagues have the radar set to how you and the team can best succeed in the long run.