Raina Writes: What characteristics make for a great hire?

Are there a set of characteristics that all hires, across all companies, need to have?

I recently watched a great talk that broadly covered this topic. It identified several characteristics that its presenters considered essential in a great hire.

I found myself nodding along. Each characteristic was well thought through. Someone with all of them would undoubtedly be a valuable asset to any company.

But how realistic is it to find someone who matches them all?

There’s been lots of talk about inclusive cultures. Which includes welcoming people who think, behave and are different from others.

For example, is it fair to expect neurodivergent people to embody all of these essential attributes? And how do you account for different types of companies and cultures? Are the behaviour sets the same for every company?

In short, I think there are common characteristics that theoretically combine to create a good, solid, dependable hire.

But I don’t think everyone you hire needs to embody all of them.

It’s vital, for example, to have energy (one of the essential characteristics) running through your culture. But it’s ok if one or two of your team are wired a little differently.

The brilliant thing about diverse teams is that you get a broad set of qualities contributing to the business you’re building. People with different strengths and weaknesses can, if valued for who they are (rather than dismissed for who they’re not), make a massive impact.

So by all means keep certain behaviours and attributes front of mind when hiring. But be prepared to look beyond them too. It’s all about the the bigger picture and the team as a whole.

Raina