To truly understand the importance of hiring for teams and organizations, look at the cost of a bad selection. Beyond the direct costs associated with those poor matches, there are costs of time, effort, productivity, and training. Not to mention the potential hits taken to culture, trust, and morale. Any such “horror stories” should remind us how important it is to get hiring right.
What are the factors that will most help us get it right?
Perspective
Everyone brings a perspective to their work. It is related to how they think, what they believe, what they have experienced, and how they see the world. This includes whether see (and focus on) opportunities or problems and whether they choose to be accountable for themselves and their results. While accountability is universally helpful, don’t look for more people that have the same perspective as your top performers. Rather, look but those who can help the team see things in new ways, offer a fresh viewpoint.
Cultural Fit
Finding people who fit your culture is important – to a point. You aren’t looking for copies, but pieces for your puzzle that fit, but provide diversity as well. Too little attention to cultural fit might create unneeded or unhealthy tensions due to vastly different expectations. Too much focus on cultural fit can lead to a cookie-cutter, homogeneous team. Look for fits, not copies, to strengthen and evolve your culture.
Relationship Aptitudes
Work is done with others. Look for people who realize and value that their job is more than their personal contribution. When people see it that way, they will prioritize building strong working relationships. Look back at some of your past “bad hires.” There are likely some examples of people unwilling to work at the relationships as much as the work itself.
Adaptability
The world is uncertain and changing. You need people who understand the need to change and are willing and able to make that change. When hiring, look for the skill and willingness to adapt to a changing world of work.
Potential
Too often, people hire the person they see in front of them. It is understandable because the present is more measurable. We can look at their accomplishments to date and check boxes. Determining potential is less scientific, but critical to the long-term success of your new team members. Potential lies in all of us, but we are looking for people who want to activate and nurture it. What are people’s goals, what brings them meaning, and how interested in and excited are they about their work? Look for the intangibles of a gleam in the eye, a passion for work, and a yearning to grow and improve. With a good leader and coach, potential can be nurtured once people have been selected. But people who already see and want to reach their potential will be more effective and successful today and tomorrow.
I could make a longer list of hiring criteria but notice what is missing. I didn’t list education, job skills, or experience. It doesn’t mean those might not matter, but their omission was purposeful. Don’t lean into those items too hard and ignore the other factors above. You may miss the intangibles that define the most successful team members.
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