28 Aug Attitude in the Hiring Process

When we talk about recruitment we often just focus on skills, potential and competence development. But what about attitude and attitude indicators? We can learn different skills, but it is very hard for all of us to change attitude as personality traits are deeply ingrained and tend to be more resistant to change. In fact, you may have heard the saying: “Hire for attitude, train for skill”.

Why is it important to remember to consider candidates’ attitude and to look for the several indicators during the hiring process? By hiring candidates with the most proper attitude for the role you are offering in your context, you can build a team of individuals who naturally possess the desired qualities and are more likely to contribute positively to the organization. In other words, attitude is a game-changer.

Obviously, the attitude we are looking for depends on the role and the culture of the organization, but here are some of the most desired attitudes and their indicators:

Enthusiasm and proactive engagement

Enthusiasm can be assessed evaluating the energy a candidate brings to the interview. We want to look for people who show eagerness and actively engage in the conversation we are guiding. Candidates who come prepare to the interview showing interest and care for the position they have applied for, who show how they take initiative and are proactive in their approach. All of these convey a lot about their attitude and motivation.

Adaptability and flexibility

How flexible are your candidates about location, role, opportunities? When assessing a candidate’s attitude and motivation flexibility is often prioritized. Being willing to work on-site, hybrid, or remote, being open to different work schedules and to commute can demonstrate how eager a candidate is in the job search. How flexible the candidate is throughout the different steps of the hiring process can also be an indicator and a prediction of the candidate adaptability in the workplace.

Coherence

Interviewing is not only about asking questions and assessing the candidates’ answers. There is a lot more to it, such as looking for nonverbal cues as much as verbal ones. Do they say the same thing? Do the resume, the storytelling and the body language express the same message? Do the candidates make eye contact and perform a demeanor behaviour? Very often the answers to coherence can be found in small details. For example, if a candidate states that he/she is very interested in the position but he/she shows up late. Was it really an urgency or does it demonstrate an unmotivated or uninterested attitude?

Commitment

What’s the level of engagement and commitment throughout the entire process? Do the candidates respond promptly to our requests? For instance, an email or a document to be filled out? All these small pieces add up and are important when assessing a candidate’s interest and motivation in looking for a new job.  The candidate’s willingness to engage in additional steps or assessments can be an early indicator of his/her dedication to the role. Candidates who make an effort and show positive actions, will more likely have a successful placement journey.

Successful recruitment involves many important practices such as assessing attitude. Can you think of any other most common attitudes companies often look for? What would you look for in your company?

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