Why hire for attitude, not just skills?

Why is it so crucial that you hire for attitude? Every employee, from the people at the front desk to those in executive offices, is a representative of certain aspects of your company both to the customers and to the community at large. From my book, The 7 Pillars of an Unbeatable Company & Culture: A Foundation of Legacy Leadership, I learned that hiring for attitude is one of the most important parts of building an unbeatable company culture, and it should be the main criterion for hiring at all levels, even in the C-Suite. Companies like Braniff Airlines, Levitz Furniture, Toys ‘R Us, CompUSA, Good Guys, Sears, and hundreds of other big names in retail have all failed at one point or another. There has to be a reason connected to culture (hiring for attitude) that caused certain companies to fail and others in their space to survive.

 

Company’s Values and Mission

Hiring the right person can be frustrating and, ultimately, very costly for the company. Instead, you want to attract employees who will maintain your corporate principles. As you manage your company and engage with your staff, vendors, and clients, keep in mind that your values serve as the guiding principles, convictions, and standards of excellence.

Before you post the job, you should look over your company’s values, mission, and job description. This will help you find the right person and let them know what you expect from them. People often use the terms “hiring for attitude” or “hiring for the right fit” to describe this way of filling jobs.

Keep in mind that the hiring process should be good for both the person being hired and the person doing the hiring. You want to hire someone who is qualified for the position, and a potential employee will be interested in working for an organization that shares his or her beliefs and is supportive of those values.


Personality traits

Personality is a scientifically-proven predictor of job performance, and assessing the candidates’ behavioral tendencies in a work environment allows you to understand whether they will, in fact, be top performers and whether they’ll fit into the company’s culture.

You can also look for specific traits that make them stand out from the crowd. Some of these include

 

  • Self-motivation: Being self-motivated at work means looking beyond the bare minimum of what’s required. These types of workers know what their goals are, strive to find more efficient ways of getting things done, and don’t require constant handholding or reminders about what tasks need to be completed.

 

  • Determination: Determination is an additional quality that you may want to check for. When recruiting new staff members, this is a fantastic trait to look for since it indicates that the individual has a strong desire to achieve their objectives and is willing to put in a lot of effort toward doing so in spite of the challenges that may stand in their way.

 

  • A good work ethic: Employees who have a strong commitment to hard work are more valuable than gold. They act in accordance with ethical values, which positions them as exceptional workers in any industry.

 

Do you need additional direction on the process of hiring for attitude? Now is the time to contact DC!