The Hunt

The process of comparing one candidate to another – or one candidate to 50 others – is complicated to say the least. One easy way to start whittling down your candidate pool is to identify qualities that the chosen candidate MUST possess, and eliminating those who fall short. With that in mind, look for the following three qualities in all risk mitigation candidates.

Analytic Mindset

Risk mitigation is primarily about gleaning meaningful insights from disparate data sources. It is the job of these professionals to see the forest through the trees, or perhaps to spot the one dangerous driver in a sea of rush hour traffic. That’s why they need to be careful and perceptive analysts. The ideal candidate will be able to identify the most relevant data, extract the most useful information from it, and then turn that information into actionable insights. Having this quality has become an even greater priority as the field of risk mitigation has adopted the tools of big data.

Diplomatic Temperament

Risk mitigation professionals often work between departments. The work that they do is broadly applicable and dependent on being able to collaborate with members of staff on all levels. The person occupying this role has to possess a diplomatic temperament in order to manage all these various relationships. The challenge is that risk mitigation professionals are not always the most popular people in the office – too often they are the bearer of bad news. But they have to overcome whatever professional hostility may be simmering and find effective ways to work with all stakeholders.

Technological Enthusiasm

Risk mitigation is wholly dependent on technology. We mentioned big data earlier, but this is just one of a host of IT tools that is changing (and improving) the way risk mitigation is handled. Look for a candidate who is genuinely excited about this transition and invested in using new tech tools to their fullest. This person needs to be committed to the tools available today, but even more committed to the tools of tomorrow coming down the pipeline. Staying on the cutting edge and leveraging the strategic advantages of a risk mitigation strategy requires a deep willingness to throw out the old and embrace the new. Anything less will cause your company to fall behind.

These are the qualities to look for, but how do you evaluate whether a candidate truly posses them or simply knows how to impress during an interview? Learn about more effective ways to vet a candidate’s skill set and personality by contacting the risk recruiters at Artemis Consultants.