As a leader, you’re only as good as your team. This is why recruitment is such an important aspect of running and expanding any business. It’s also why it’s important that we, as business owners and entrepreneurs, should have the right strategy when hiring employees and building a winning team.
Right off the bat, it’s easy to say that the best indicator of good employees is their academic background and qualifications. But the truth is, evaluating an interviewee solely based on academic performance isn’t practical anymore. According to CNBC, many successful companies, including tech giants like Apple and Google, don’t even require employees to have a college diploma. These companies emphasise skills over school grades and this could soon become an industry norm.
So how do you hire the right employees? Based on my years of experience in running my group of companies and hiring over 100 people, here are three crucial indicators that you should pay attention to when you’re hiring or matching the right people to the right job: character, competence and charisma.
1. Good Character
It might sound cliché, but you’d be surprised how many talented people lack the basic building blocks of character. The values and work ethic that are generally expected – self-reliance, diligence, passion – have become lost arts in the workplace.
Good traits like reliability, resilience and adversity quotient make all the difference when it comes to recruiting the best staff. As an employer, you need to be able to weed out the quitters from the winners – people who understand the importance of ploughing through hard times and doing their best to solve problems or bring value to the table.
Find dedicated and passionate people who will be valuable assets to your business. Not only will they be employees who can contribute individually, they are likely to influence and inspire others to do the same. Look for those with good character and you’ll be one step closer to building your dream team.
2. High Level of Competence
Besides having good character, a high level of competence is also a critical trait of a quality employee. You need to hire employees that are able to understand your business needs, be committed to your vision, and are adept at solving problems and completing tasks.
When you’re recruiting a new employee, ask these questions:
- What core skills and attributes are required for this position?
- What are the strengths of this new employee?
- What values or ideas can he/she bring to our company and clients?
You might associate competence with academic achievement, but this isn’t always the case. In general, skills required in the workplace go beyond what we learn in schools. Some of the key employability skills include communication, teamwork, management, logical thinking and technical knowledge. During the interview process, give them a scenario and see if they’re able to demonstrate these skills or express the willingness to learn.
A competent people are often resourceful. Even when they aren’t given clear instructions on a task, they’ll figure out a way to get the job done. Thus, it’s important for you to hire and retain as many competent people as possible to take your business to new heights.
3. Personal Charisma
Lastly, charisma is one of the most important traits to look out for in new employees, especially if you’re hiring someone for a managerial or client-facing role. It’s important that this person is able to communicate effectively with anyone, no matter the occasion, from daily conversation to important meetings and big launches.
How do you know if someone is charismatic? Here are a few things to observe:
- Are people listening when they speak?
- Are people supporting their ideas?
- Do people like and trust them?
- Do other people want to join their team?
- Are people drawn to how they treat others with kindness and respect?
While many people believe that charisma is something you’re born with, it’s a skill that you can actually develop:
- Demonstrate positive body language
- Give others positive feedback
- Be present and attentive in conversations
- Speak clearly and confidently
Charisma becomes increasingly valuable as you’re building your career as it naturally draws people to you.
Character, competence and charisma – when you see these three traits in your employees, that’s when you know you’re leading your business with a first-rate team.
To your success,
Mario
[Visit www.mariosingh.com now to enjoy a FREE e-book of my latest “37 Essential Principles for Massive Success” when you subscribe!]
