When we first started out, we weren’t so picky when it came to new hires. Basically, if they said ‘Yes’, we graciously hired them. But it didn’t always work out quite like we hoped. Like every young business (at the time) we were desperate for growth, and would do anything to get there. We hadn’t yet realised just how much doing things properly would benefit us in the long run.
Since then we have evolved our hiring processes, and due to those changes have enjoyed a lower staff turnover and have also been able to build the team we needed to confidently stride into the future. But before we got here, we tried multiple strategies – including setting up stringent technical tests and assessments – and still we weren’t getting the results we wanted.
Until we realised that there were 3 key traits that were absolutely integral to our business’s DNA, and which we had to see in someone before we made a hire:
Desire
The first and most important trait that we look for in a new hire is the right attitude. A heart and mind full of desire. As a growing company we had to be brimming with desire, because if we weren’t we wouldn’t have got to where we are. Complacency kills growth, and where there is no growth a business cannot survive. Hiring someone who does not have desires of their own, means that the onus will be on you as a business leader to provide the motivation for them to move forward.
We use our interviewing process to determine what each candidate’s desires are, and why they want to work at e-magination Infosolutions. Through this we find out whether our desires are mutual, and if we can actually fulfill that candidates desires.
Growth
Our employees have to have a growth mentality. Non-negotiable. Because we have built a business from the ground up, we know what it takes to get to where we are – to foster growth within, in order to grow as a business. We now look for candidates who can acknowledge, no matter how many years experience they have or how senior a position they hold, that there is always room for learning new things (hence growth).
While you can encourage growth within your business, an employee needs to exercise self-motivation and dedication to learn new skills and challenge themselves. Someone who looks to somebody else to qualify what they need to do puts you in a difficult position, as they will forever rely on you to provide them the motivation for the way forward. Find out why it makes sense to invest in your employees>>
Appreciation
Lastly, we look for appreciation in our hires. We ourselves have enormous appreciation and humility for where we are right now, because we have achieved incredible things and should celebrate that. Being appreciative makes people take notice of the valuable goals that they have achieved, and also increases the likelihood that they’ll invest more time and effort in their work.
A tip for the interview:
In the interview, be clear about your company culture. Honesty about the processes and the way things work in your business allows your candidate to ‘opt’ in for the right reasons and have a clear understanding of what to expect.