You’re Hiring Backwards

thought 22

I recently read an article by Seth Godin about soft skills and how they are really not soft at all but essential to the job. It was a really good read and I’d recommend checking it out.

https://itsyourturnblog.com/lets-stop-calling-them-soft-skills-9cc27ec09ecb#.1bc6wuci8

One of the points he makes is how character vs vocational skills, are very important. I agree. The one spot I disagreed with is that soft skills aka character were optional.

You’re most likely hiring backwards

You can teach a dog a new trick, but you can’t teach a dog to be a cat. It’s nearly impossible and would take some weird funky experimental surgeries. I doubt your dog will like it.

But most hire by asking first if you can bark, vocational skills, and then if you’re a dog, true character. This is completely backward.

Hiring starts with character. What I mean is, if you interview for someone that meshes well with your company culture and can learn new things, you’ll always win because that person will figure it out. A persons character is not optional, it’s the baseline.

This is why I think creative interviews make sense. Putting a CV together tells me nothing about someone’s personality unless of course you put mocking jibes and snarky remarks in it like I do. If it’s not a culture fit, you don’t need to even waste your time with long drawn out technical interviews because it’s never going to work.

Just like that hot girl that has no personality you tried to date in high school that didn’t work out because she had all the right features ;) but none of the real substance.

So don’t worry so much about the technical skills, instead hire for character and you’ll figure out whatever problem gets thrown at ya.

stay tuned.
Sterling