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At ConnektUs, we’re a firm believer that attitude trumps skills. Don’t get us wrong, skills are a necessity in some roles, but for the most part, they’re transferable skills and can be taught. There is no such thing as a ‘transferable attitude’. It’s either you have it, or you don’t and the impact attitude has in the workplace may surprise you if you didn’t already know.

You see, when our clients advertise jobs on our platform, we share a simple message. If someone applies for a job that doesn’t tick all your boxes, don’t disregard them. They may surpass all expectations with their attitude and willingness to go above and beyond. Never underestimate the importance of attitude.

Hiring the right attitude will help your culture

Some of the resumes you receive will be packed with experience and boast all about the skills and achievements you could ever want as an organization. That’s not to say the candidate will meet your expectations and not be a total dud, right? Sure, they may have all these achievements and excellence but in your organization, they could miss deadlines, have a carefree approach, and lack communication.

It’s not that they don’t have the capabilities to excel but perhaps your organization is fast-paced and quite a collaborative environment.  The candidate wouldn’t fail because they couldn’t do the job, they will fail because they don’t fit your company culture.

Hiring the right attitude will help your organization grow

Did you know one hire can affect the entire department, or company depending on the size of your organization?

Many iconic and successful entrepreneurs stand by the same thing when it comes to hiring. Someone who has a high level of energy is focused on taking initiative and developing solutions to old and existing problems. This attitude and work ethic can often transfer to those around them creating a more energetic environment.

At the end of the day, you need to identify the right attitude traits for your next hire that will help your organization grow. Sometimes it may require a change of pace and sometimes it’s reinforcing what has already been working. Nonetheless, your next hire is there to fill the gap that currently exists.

Now we got that out of the way… how do you hire attitude?

Hiring attitude is very subjective. It’s quite an ambiguous term. When we advertise a role, it’s quite factual, isn’t it? From the job requirements to your company values are – we know it, and it’s clear. With attitude, not so much.

Here’s our advice.

Know what you’re looking for – think of it as a skillset.

When you’re hiring someone, you’re generally looking for a specific skill set for that role. Treat this no different. Look at your team, take note of what personalities are in your team and or company. When we think about attitude, we need to also take into consideration the culture. Think about what traits will add value to both your team and the wider company.

In most cases, attitude may not be easy to pinpoint when reading a resume. That’s why it’s crucial to pay extra attention during an interview. If you’re like us, you’ll pay close attention to the candidate’s tone of voice, level of energy, and enthusiasm when explaining situations or going through their achievements and projects.

Get the team involved

It’s still surprising how uncommon it is for organizations to get the wider team involved in the hiring process. Generally, those hiring whether it be the hiring manager or Human Resources see things from a particular perspective. Getting feedback from a potential future colleague can be immensely helpful. Seeing from a different perspective from the eyes of a colleague can illustrate how they will fit culturally.

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Finding the right person is genuinely a difficult task. But when you broaden your horizons and not look just at a specific skill set, you’ll be amazed at the talent that you can find. Remember, you can teach someone additional skills and experience will be gained over time. Attitude and personality are traits someone either has or doesn’t have. While you may be able to adjust someone’s attitude or see an improvement in personality, it is a lot easier to start with these traits in place. The impact that a positive attitude can have on the culture of an organization can be invaluable.