If you’re like most in business, you place a high priority on the amount of experience a prospective applicant has. Everyone looking for that next worker seems to look for the best employee, as defined by the applicant’s experience. Obviously, someone with 10 years of experience is better than someone with two years, right? Not so fast. You need to realize the one thing you can give someone is experience, providing all the instruction you want to. Still, there are other things that you can’t give, which are far more important than just having experience:
Work Ethic. A person’s work ethic is going to impact how they feel about their job, which in turn will impact how well they get it done. If they have a strong work ethic, they will be honest, accountable, and responsible. These are all things you want in an employee.
Attitude. Someone’s attitude is a big issue if you are bringing that person in to work with you or a team. Attitude is how they convey their feelings or disposition. The last thing you want is someone with a bad attitude, who you are afraid to challenge.
Energy. How upbeat are they when they answer your questions? If it seems to take a lot out of them to respond, it will also take a lot out of them to muster up the energy to get the work done. When it comes to energy, they can have an impact on others they work around, for better or worse.
Intelligence. Even if someone has a degree, that doesn’t guarantee that they are intelligent. Having intelligence means having the ability to learn and understand things. It also applies to how well they can adapt to new situations.
Values. This comes down to how well they promote what you consider important for your company. If you value good customer service and honesty, you want to make sure that your employees do as well, as they will be the ones carrying out that mission.
After conducting this type of investigation, you will know if you have found the right person. Once you find a match, hire them. Then you can focus on giving them the experience, which is something that can easily be gained if they have these other attributes. This story was adapted from an article by Mike Michalowicz, president of behavioral marketing firm, Obsidian Launch