If you look at any interviews with top CEOs at the world’s most dominant companies, something that seems universal is that they emphasise the importance of hiring the right people.
“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to to , We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do” – Steve Jobs
“What I’m really looking for is evidence of exceptional ability. Did they face really difficult problems and overcome them? And of course you want to make sure if there was some significant accomplishment, were they really responsible or was someone else more responsible. Usually, someone who really had to struggle with a problem, they really understand it and they don’t forget.” – Elon Musk
I think the quote from Jobs is particularly telling. He didn’t just look for “yes men”. He found people who could think and act independently to solve problems.
If your organisation isn’t full of problem-solvers, they are ultimately cogs in the machine. It’s even worse if your business is full of problem-makers.
This blog, however, will focus on the five main traits employers should certainly screen for in their potential hires.
What makes a Good Employee?
This question is multifaceted as what makes a good employee depends on the role.
There are, however, five key qualities that are (in my view) universal:
- Conscientiousness – Having a sense of duty and responsibility
- Teachability – A willingness and capacity to learn
- Integrity – Being honest and having moral principles
- Positive Attitude – A hopeful and bright disposition
- Strong Communication Skills – The ability to relay information to others
When I hire someone, I want them to embody these five traits. If you remember the “computer says no” woman from Little Britain, imagine the complete opposite. This is not the type of person you want in your organisation:
Experience and skills are usually something that people can develop.
I can understand that many employers want people who can do the job instantly, have a huge amount of experience, and are highly skilled, but sacrificing these personal qualities would come to the detriment of the organisation.
Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness is something you can gauge relatively quickly and becomes even more evident over the first three months of hiring.
Of course, if someone had no level of conscientiousness, it would mean he or she would not be able to function in a role. That person probably wouldn’t even be able to get up in the morning or undertake basic tasks.
Conscientiousness can, however, be a limiting factor as someone overly conscientious is more likely to be extremely rigid in his or her thought.
They will follow rules and regulations without critical thought.
Conscientiousness is an innate quality – some people are more conscientious than others. It is also one of the big five personality traits (OCEAN or the five-factor model) psychologists use to evaluate someone’s personality.
Just out of interest here is my result for the five-factor model:
- Openness = 97.36%
- Conscientiousness = 53.9%
- Extraversion = 61.15%
- Agreeableness = 74.05%
- Neuroticism = 38.95%
You can take the quiz.
Teachability
Something that I have found increasingly important in my hiring framework, is looking for workers who are both willing and able to learn quickly.
A good sign for a hiring manager is that someone wants to ask questions and find out about things.
I appreciate it so much when a new hire is eager to find things out and asks me questions about operations, the role, or even additional opportunities.
I also think that some level of intelligence is required for someone to be teachable. This can be challenging to gauge from a standard interview process, but not impossible.
It could be a good idea to create a process with a degree of lateral thinking and comprehension to determine the quality of a candidate.
I also look at GCSE, A-Level, and degree grades as my company is an educational company.
For your hiring process, you should consider the complexity of the role and administer the appropriate tests or challenges in the hiring stage.
Integrity
When I hire someone, I want to be able to trust them with loads of duties.
If someone has high levels of integrity, I can trust them with the more intimate details of the business (after an NDA).
I can, furthermore, trust them to act well with others.
Naturally, as Prajay and I run a tuition business, we need moral people working with us. Not narcissists and psychopaths.
Positive Attitude
What kind of workplace would you want to work within?
Workers with that amazing positive attitude can get a workplace buzzing. They make work more enjoyable for everyone else and make others want to be there too.
It wouldn’t be realistic and be a bit annoying if everyone was all-singing and all-dancing all the time.
As long as people want to be there and have a decent level of optimism, then it will be fun to work with these people.
Strong Communication Skills
Strong communication skills are crucial for any role.
Effective communicators convey ideas clearly and listen actively, ensuring efficient teamwork and productivity.
When hiring, I look for candidates who express their thoughts confidently and understand others’ perspectives.
In interviews, I assess verbal clarity and responsiveness, while writing exercises gauge written communication.
Strong communicators also excel in giving and receiving feedback, aiding personal and team growth.
Good communication complements other traits like teachability and a positive attitude, fostering a collaborative and positive work environment.
Ultimately, employees with strong communication skills are essential for organisational success.
Conclusion
Hiring the right people is essential for the success of any organisation.
By focusing on key traits such as conscientiousness, teachability, integrity, a positive attitude, and strong communication skills, employers can build a team of problem-solvers who contribute positively to the workplace.
While experience and skills are important, these personal qualities ensure that employees can grow, collaborate effectively, and drive the organisation forward.
Prioritising these traits in the hiring process can lead to a more dynamic, trustworthy, and productive work environment.
