Hiring for Character
IF YOU thought talent was all that mattered for success in your dream career, consider this. According to a report, most employers believe that character and work ethics matter more than talent or skills when it comes to rating employees for promotion or a post of power.
While sheer talent could fetch you fancy perks and an immediate hike in your pay packet, you must have strong work ethics and strength of character if you harbour hopes of wielding a position of power or authority in your career.
In the long run, character has more to do with top performance rather than skill. Think about your most difficult employees. Do they vibe well with their teammates, their peers and their superiors? What is their attitude to work? Do you get positive feedback about them? Probably no. They may be great at what they do (skills) but they are still rated as poor employees. These are people nobody wants to work with.
Now, consider some of your not so gifted employees. While they may not exactly be bursting with talent and creativity at the seams, they are nevertheless good at their work, efficient, hardworking, honest and responsible. They are willing to learn and go the extra mile and also make a team effort. Now, if you were to decide between the two, who would you prefer to work for the company? Undoubtedly, every company wants positive, dedicated, committed and team-oriented workers on its rolls.
It is a fact that job skills are very important and are essential. Talent is needed to achieve many great things. But, good work habits, together with good character they help build, are important foundations for every life goal and every dream. Let's face it; there is no dearth of educated, qualified and skilled employees in the world today. While finding exceptional talent is no mean task, you don't have to look too long and hard to find people with a decent level of competence in the skill sets required for their jobs. With hard work, even those who are less able can improve on their job skills.
The most important competency required of an excellent employee, however, is much more difficult to acquire on the job - character.
It is for this very reason, experienced employers often hire or promote people with good work habits over those who are better trained or skilled, but may not have good work habits.
Their understanding is that they can train people in job skills more easily rather than in good work habits. So, it makes sense to hire people with good work habits and train them in job skills, rather than do the reverse.
Hiring, based exclusively on skills, can create problems when talented hires turn out to be rotten employees in every other way. Remember, every employee affects your organisation's efficiency, morale, productivity and customer service. Talent sans character has no real place in an organisation. Hiring for work ethics, character and skills in that order, not only helps you select the best person for the job r, but also choose someone who is a good fit for the organisation as a whole.
BINDU SHRIDHAR
faqs@cnkonline.com
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