When examining a CV, technical skills, qualifications, experience and expertise can really stand out. But these hard skills tell only half of the story. The best employees are not hired on skill alone, but also on attitude.
A study by Leadership IQ found that 46% of new hires don’t work out within 18 months – and only 11% of these cases came down to a lack of skill. The other 89% failed due to attitude: poor emotional intelligence, lack of suitability to company culture or simply low motivation.
Harvard Business Review says that emotional intelligence (EQ) is the leading differentiation between employees whose technical skills are the same; and TalentSmart discovered that 90% of top performers have a high EQ.
It’s no wonder then the following phrase has become so popular in recruitment:
“Hire for attitude, train for skill.”
But, when you can’t see attitude plainly on a CV, how do you hire for attitude in practice? And how do you strike a balance when some roles critically require a pre-existing skill set or level of experience?
Treat a required attitude in the same way as a required skill set: Think about the type of person you need for the role and what attitude and traits they need in order to succeed. Consider the existing team dynamic and what attitude could help positively influence the team, or even shake things up. Make a note of these traits, consider them to be of equal importance to the skills and experience you’re looking for, and think about incorporating them into the language you use when advertising the role.
At interview, ask them about what company culture they prefer: This will reveal what soft skills they value and ultimately offers a window into their attitude. This question also helps you to ascertain whether they are likely to be a cultural fit.
Ask other value-based questions like “What would you do if you had to work with a person you don’t get along with?”: These questions help you to understand how they deal with conflict, their emotional intelligence and people skills.
Keep an eye out for the following attributes: Though your specific requirements are likely to differ, look out for candidates that demonstrate adaptability and resilience, accountability, the ability to take initiative and ownership, and show a willingness to collaborate.
Assess their attitude to lifelong learning and professional development: Hiring for attitude and teaching the skills will only work if the candidate is willing to learn. Establish your company’s parameters for supporting professional development, and then make sure to ask your candidates how they feel about lifelong learning.
By finding the right balance between skills and attitude, employing those that share your company’s values and culture, you’ll ensure that your new hires sit firmly on the side of success.
We know that determining if a candidate’s attitude is the right fit for your business can be tricky. If you’d like to find out more about how to do so, get in touch with our experts at Optimum – we’re always happy to help.
Posted By: Abigail Simpson
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