Home About Our Blog Recruit on Attitude not on skills

 

Tip number 1: use a professional (well we had to say that)

 

Tip number 2: Recruit on Attitude not on skills

 

When you are recruiting, it is very easy to be seduced by skills. Your business is in need and you think it would be great if we had someone who could do these specific things. Along comes a candidate who has all of these skills and you think ‘match made in heaven’ Right?

 

Sadly, not always right. A candidate may have all of the skills you are looking for, but this may blind you to other less attractive attributes. You have what we call the ‘halo effect’ going on, where the skill level makes the person seem perfect in your eyes and you just can not see anything beyond that. 

 

Unfortunately, what may happen is that you employ this person and they come into your business with their fabulous skills, but you realise too late that their attitude is terrible, or their interpersonal skills are shot, or they are just a troublemaker, upsetting what was previously a harmonious work place. Now you wish you had never set eyes on them and their skills now seem worthless to you. 

 

You have fallen into the very common trap of skill seduction and overlooked all the other attributes that makes a great worker and team member. Once you have fallen into this trap, you will never do it again; trust me! However if you have not fallen into this trap, we are trying to save you much future pain.

 

Skills can always be taught. Courses can be attended and individuals can increase their skill level at any time, what cannot be changed so easily is a workers attitude or outlook.  Skills are easy to see and prove, however it is not so easy to ascertain someone’s attitude.

 

You may ask a question like, ‘Tell me about a time when your work attitude really came through and demonstrated your worth in a previous role’ – Yep great question, requires a detailed explanation and is looking for past behaviour as an indicator of future behaviour. However, a smart candidate will still be able to tell you what you want to hear.

 

Instead, look for those tiny gems, those throw away lines that interviewees say, when they think the statement is a nothing, but actually gives us a wealth of true information. Lines like ‘that project was like my baby – I had trouble handing it over’ ‘I probably did a bit too much on that work actually’ ‘I was devastated when the other business unit took over that work’. People who speak with passion about their work and use emotive language naturally give us great clues into their attitude. Often these lines are said as a throw away lines, not the main subject of the conversation and spoken with a different tone. Look for passion, commitment and excitement, the types of traits we would love to see in our team members.

 

Equally, you can find negative attitude indicators through ‘throw-away’ lines – exasperation in a voice, negative off hand comments about a previous boss or work, strong negative passion about workplace issues – these may only show in a brief ephemeral moment, but the information they impart can save you.

 

Often these attitude indicators, only become apparent over time, so lengthen your recruitment process and have as many touch points as you can with the candidate. Attitude indicators can include, not returning your calls in a timely manner, being difficult to contact, sounding different than you remembered at interview, sounding off hand or cold, the way an email is written or the tone of voice when you have rung at an inopportune moment. 

 

Now, evaluate the attitude indicators against the skill level – which way does the balance fall? Make an informed decision based on a risk/return scenario – if the skill and attitude indicators (and everything else) stacks up, you may be on the way to a great decision. However if the risk of bad attitude is higher than the skill level positives, think twice. As a professional recruiter, in my own business, I would always choose attitude over skill.

 

Tip number 3: Call Nine2Three for all your recruitment needs 1300 923 000 (had to put that in)!

 

Important Note: These articles have been prepared for general circulation and are circulated for general informational purposes only; these articles should not be regarded as business or investment advice. The articles represent the views of the writers and are subject to change without notice. Additionally, while every care has been taken in the preparation of the articles no representation or warranty as to accuracy or completeness of any statement is given. An individual or organisation should, before any business or investment decision is made, consider the appropriateness of the information in this document, and seek professional advice, having regard to objectives, situation and needs. This document is solely for the use of the party to whom it is provided.