5 Ways to Spot an Innovative Thinker

By Jimmy Winskowski

When hiring, it can be tough to come out with a clear winner when you've got a stack full of potential employees in front of you. But one common quality that all great employees seem to have in common is innovation. Business is constantly changing and the most innovative thinkers tend to have the most success regardless of what difficulties come up. They overcome challenges and have the flexibility and creativity needed to always come out on top.

So how do you spot a truly innovative thinker? Well, a part of it is knowing how to ask the right questions. But there’s more. Here are several great tips for spotting – and hiring – the most innovative talent out there.

1. Innovators are confident, but never arrogant

There's something interesting that comes with being a real innovator. Developers with the most innovative minds are the same devs who are always learning and finding better ways to do what they do. This usually manifests itself in extremely high confidence, since they have a great understanding of what they know and what they still need to learn.

What you won't see from them, however, is an arrogant attitude or inflated ego. This is because their confidence comes not from an inflated sense of self, but a drive to learn and test. David Wilson, paid media manager for Levy Online suggests, “Hit them with the tough questions. If they can make it through the interview confidently without seeming arrogant, you've got a major winner on your hands.”

2. They don't mind being wrong

Innovative thinkers are focused on achieving great things, not on who gets the credit or who was "right." You might say they share this mindset with inventor Thomas Edison, who famously said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

To find out whether a potential hire is a true innovator, ask them to tell you about a time they were wrong, what they learned from it, and how they moved forward. They'll happily talk about the experience, because being wrong isn't a problem to innovators. They learn and they move on.

3. They're always learning more and trying more

Because innovative thinkers are not afraid to fail, they're always trying out new things. They're always figuring out and implementing cutting-edge techniques and technologies.

To test an interviewee, ask them about the most recent things they've learned and put into practice. Ask them what they want to try next. An innovative thinker will have plenty of examples of things they've tinkered with, tested, and are hoping to tackle in the near future.

4. They think big

Great innovators almost always have a huge reverence for some of the great minds in their field. This holds true in the tech and development fields as much as any other. By looking to some of the best, brightest, and most progressive people out there, innovators are always gaining inspiration.

To find a great innovator, ask an interviewee who they look up to, and who they are inspired by in their industry.

5. They care about goals

It's no secret – things don't always go as planned during the workday. Projects that you mean to focus on don't always get the attention they deserve and sometimes things slip through the cracks. Innovative thinkers don't let themselves get bogged down by the little things that come up.

To identify an innovator, find someone who cares deeply about accomplishing great things, setting – and achieving – goals to make sure they produce the results they aim for.

Let CyberCoders help you spot an innovative thinker! Learn more here.