Read This If You Want To Hire Someone Or Get Hired
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I've been asked a few times more than usual, lately, about what employers are looking for in a candidate.
I've had some friends reach out about specific jobs for which they were interviewing, but I was also just on a panel with Denver Public Schools talking to some of their awesome teachers.
They wanted to talk about what their graduates should know before they hit the workforce.
I definitely was the youngest panelist there.
I definitely didn't agree with everyone.
I definitely didn't want to talk about MS Office Suite the whole time.
So, I told them my own rules for hiring.
Hiring Characteristics I've Hired For:
Aptitude
Aptitude asks: can you do the work?
This isn't about skill set, this is about the capacity you have to learn and run with the skill set.
Attitude
Attitude asks, when faced with a challenge, does this candidate complain, sink into a hole, and do their job reluctantly? Or does this candidate see the challenge as an opportunity to grow, develop a new skill, or survive a new experience? In it's most basic sense, attitude asks "does this person add or subtract energy from the team?"
Cultural Fit
This is a hard one. For some reason, people think that culture is the ping-pong table, the Keurig, the snacks in the office kitchen, the 401(k) with employer match, or the nerf guns. These are perks, not culture.
Culture asks "how will you treat each other when the work gets hard?"
Culture is about treating others with respect, treating your office environment with respect, and thinking about the greater good of the company.
Skillset
This is different from aptitude. This is literally "does this candidate know what to do when we hire them?" For many jobs, this might not be relevant. For some, it might be absolutely critical.
If you're hiring a neurosurgeon, you're going to hire someone who knows what the hell they're doing--not someone who can learn on the job. If you're hiring a construction worker, they just need to be trainable.
My final rule on hiring . . .
Trial Run
It's really, really hard to accurately gauge someone's candidacy in an interview.
Some people interview really well and then don't deliver.
Some people interview really poorly but that skill might not be relevant for the position you're hiring.
So, if someone has what I think I need, on the surface, it's time to set up a small project.
"You can't work for me until you've worked for me."
- Seth Godin
I find a small, low-risk, low-budget project that will test the skills/attitude/aptitude/cultural fit or whatever I'm looking for.
I might also just pick a short time period, like 30 - 90 days, where we have a "trial run."
Either of these options gives me a real-world project that will help me see the candidate's actual work.
Consider this:
Employers are taking a risk when they hire someone. If they bring you on immediately as a W2 employee, they are accepting liabilities like unemployment and onboarding costs. Employers are incentivized to choose wisely.
It's better for you and for them if you both take your time and find the right fit.
It's not a formula, it's some combination of these things.
Most companies/agencies/etc. are hiring for some combination of the 4 characteristics I listed above; aptitude, attitude, cultural fit, skillset.
It's up to the company and industry to communicate what ratio these fall in. This should be evident by auditing your values and mapping them to the company's values.
A scrappy startup is not going to have the same values and needs as a children's hospital.
If all of these things are at least directionally aligned, and you're able to, toss a trial run on top for best results.
Cheat Code:
There's also a way around this process.
It's a lot less work and most of the time it even works better.
It's called a referral.
If someone did a great job for me, it's really likely that they have friends who would do a great job, too.
2 Minute Action:
Even if you're not hiring or looking to be hired, take 2 minutes to outline your values.
Here's a quick and easy exercise:
Let's make up a point system.
You have 10 points.
You now have to allocate them in the 4 categories mentioned above (aptitude, attitude, cultural fit, skillset).
How would you assign them?
That will tell you what you value which might help you in hiring or aligning with another organization's values.
[SERIES] 3/7 Unpopular Belief: Steal Other People's Stuff
Yep. Other successful people have developed tricks of the trade, but they've also stolen and borrowed from other successful people.This is Part 3 of the 7 Unpopular Beliefs Series.
Steal Other People's Stuff!
Imitate successful people.
Pick the traits and characteristics you admire and mimic them.Steal their strategies and tactics.Remember that your customer, audience, client, patient, or student will only benefit if YOU succeed!Here's the hardest part about this:
Discover how your opponent is smarter than you.
It's not hard in that it requires searching. It's hard because it requires humility.As Derek Sivers says: "Find wisdom in your opponents!"You already know everything from your side. Understand your opponent's side and you'll have much more context, and possibly tools with which to succeed.
2 Minute Action
Who is someone you admire and can call?Take 2 minutes to ask them about their methods/strategies.There are also a lot of books written by authors who just want to share. You are connected to a huge wealth of human knowledge.If you don't know where to find resources, email me or tweet at me. Tell me what you want to steal and I can help.
What To Do When You Don’t Have The Skills
It’s not whether you have the skills—you can be taught.It’s not whether you know the right people—you can be introduced.
Its about 2 things:
Aptitude.Attitude.
These translate to:
Are you capable of learning the skills and executing the work ethic?And can you do the emotional labor of treating people with respect when it gets hard?Everything else is secondary.
2 Minute Action:
If you’re hiring for a position, applying for a position, or just staying where you are, these principles hold true.Many of you reading this are just starting your projects, or you’re getting to the place where it feels like you want to quit.Let this be a reminder not to quit today.Today isn’t your day.Take 2 minutes to consider what aptitude and attitude would be required to reach your dreams.Is that you right now?What would that person, the one who could achieve those dreams, do differently?I’m not asking you tus to be fluffy and philosophical.I’m asking you questions you can ask yourself later to get through roadblocks.If you want to be an anomaly, you have to act like one.Is that you right now?Write down a few characteristics of aptitude and attitude and make them happen, today.The more you do these things, the more a part of you they become.And the cool thing is:that’s up to you!