The success of any given company – its values, the way it operates, how the team interacts and more – starts with the type of people who work there, says Deb LaMere, Vice President, Employee Experience at Ceridian. Knowing this, company leaders have honed in on a few people qualities that matter most.
“They want people who are positive, driven to get results, and who are always willing to communicate,” says LaMere.
The importance of hiring people based not just on their resumes, but on their personalities and work habit tendencies too, cannot be understated, points out LaMere.
During the hiring process, plenty of weight should be placed on looking for the person with the right attitude. But what, exactly, does the “right attitude” look like?
LaMere provided these five thoughts on the right attitude and specific qualities all great hires share:
1. Curious nature: People with the right attitude ask plenty of questions. They thirst for knowledge, wanting to learn more about the company, the culture, the industry, a product or just about anything else. “When potential hires and people at the company ask questions, varying perspectives on answers can ensue and fuel new ideas,” says LaMere.
2. Ready to work: A candidate’s drive to succeed is important. Try to hire people who are always willing to work hard but also work smarter to get the job done. This sort of dedication comes through as true passion for the job. Look for people who love what they do, and are fully dedicated to helping the organization succeed.
3. Permeate with positivity: Attitude is everything. You want employees whose positive attitudes permeate the entire staff. “Their go-getter outlook should be infectious,” says LaMere. “People who work with negativity are likely to spread that unwanted energy, which can be a drag on the company. On the other hand, a positive outlook can help boost the overall employee experience.”
4. Part of the team: Attitude, skills and experience are all important attributes to bring to the job, but at the end of the day culture and team fit is just as important. When interviewing employee candidates ask yourself: Would I want to sit next to this person on a plane and have a conversation? Relatability of a potential employee with his or her manager, team and peers can have a positive effect on engagement and productivity.
5. Bigger and better thoughts: It’s important to hire people who dream of bigger and better things. That doesn’t necessarily mean dreams that take them away from the company. Simply put, employees should have lofty goals for themselves and the company. “Always target big-thinkers when hiring new people,” says LaMere.
Alida Moose, Chief Human Resources Officer of The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, provides five more qualities of great hires, why they are important, and how Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company identifies them in an interview:
6. Enthusiastic – positive energy: This is observable in their verbal (choice of words, confident responses) and nonverbal communication (smiles, eye contact, positive gestures) this is important because our culture is made up of positive people.
7. Authentic: Must be who they are. Must appear comfortable in their own skin; doesn’t exaggerate; speaks about accomplishments and interests in a way that is natural and convincing; self-aware (comfortable with talking about shortcomings). “This is important because we want their words to align with their actions in the future, says Moose.
8. Integrity: Can take personal responsibility, is transparent and trustworthy; measured in how they handled themselves in gray situations such as speaking up when suspected something is wrong; this is important because we have a culture of doing the right thing no matter what.
9. Business savvy: Knowledgeable about their field and committed to keeping up with change; to continue learning and making improvements; this is important because we embrace subject matter experts and we acknowledge we are in a fast paced ever-changing world and we need our associates to keep up with that dynamic.
10. Agility: Can demonstrate flexibility in previous work or academic experience through their stories; how they recovered from their mistakes and how they adjusted when a project didn’t go their way. “This is important because the business and regulatory environment is changing and we work in a competitive landscape,” says Moose.
There are many qualities employers look for when hiring. Do your recent hires fit the mold?
