Employers first and foremost are often looking for the skillset needed to get the job done. It's understandable to want a candidate who can hit the ground running. But that sort of thinking priviledges short-term results at the expense of the best long-term candidate. When you look specifically for candidates who possess softer skills like the right personality and attitude, there's a better chance that candidate will be better in the long-term.
Not convinced? Read our list of reasons for why you should hire for attitude instead of skill and start getting the employees your organization needs.
You Don’t Know What Skills You Will Need Down the Road
It’s important to hire someone who is going to be able fulfill a need in the short-term. However, this should only be part of your hiring consideration. If you are interested in employee retention (and you should be!), you need to consider how this person will grow within your organization. You might not know exactly what you might need from them down the road, but hiring someone with the right attitude means they’ll have the right personality to learn and grow.
You Can’t Train for Attitude
This is the key difference between attitude and skill and why attitude is more important. Skills can be acquired through training and education, but it can be much harder to teach the softer side of the job that allows employees to thrive. If someone has the right attitude and personality to be great team member, they will help others at your organization thrive and can acquire the skills they need to do their job.
Many People Don’t Match a Job Description
Nobody is a perfect match for your job description. Even the most well rounded candidates have gaps in their resume, meaning that some on the job training is going to be inevitable. Since training is almost always involved, you shouldn’t necessarily hire the candidate with the most perfect skill set, but one who has the right attitude for their team and the company.
It Gives You Access to a Wider Pool of Candidates
It’s not always about who can use a specific software program or is a wizard with excel. By making attitude an important part of your hiring criteria, you can access a wider pool of candidates. Because you never know what combination of experience and personality could make someone a perfect fit for the position.
They Promote a Positive Working Environment
People with great attitudes make better colleagues and contribute in a positive way to your work environment. They also make for better team members who are less focused on their particular contribution than doing great work as a team. This is the way for a company to succeed.
