The Psychology of Recruitment: Attitude Versus Experience

By Aideen Hopkins

Recruitment is one of the key components to running a successful business. It is also one of the most nuanced elements and it is incredibly easy to get wrong. No matter what type of company you run or team you manage, you will no doubt understand exactly how challenging it can be to recruit new employees who will make a positive impact on the organisation. There just aren’t any guarantees. Many leaders and managers will have their own nightmare recruitment story, often resulting in similar outcomes that an individual was not who they appeared to be, in skill or temperament. As the co-owner of EER Middle East, I know all too well that how we grow in terms of employees is crucial to our success and the quality of service we can offer our clients. With our reach expanding across the Middle East, and in such fast-paced markets like Saudi Arabia, being able to rely on teams to deliver  ‘on-the-ground’ results is essential. So how can you be sure you are making the right decisions in the recruitment process and what factors should you be paying the most attention to?

The Ideal Candidate

Being able to accurately assess a candidate’s attitude is an unrivalled skill when it comes to recruitment. When you are able to spot individuals who are responsive rather than reactive, flexible and keen to grow, then you can significantly increase your chances of making a positive addition to your team. Responsive people are far more likely to see the bigger picture and be open to making changes. They are also more likely to recover quickly from difficulties or disappointments. When team members have a more engaged and inclusive approach, they will add far more value, particularly in a world that is undergoing a huge transformation, especially technologically, creating an uncertain playing field in which those who are prepared to stand up and take chances will reap the rewards.

Soft Versus Hard

The long-running debate over the importance of hard skills versus soft skills in teams has taken quite the turn in recent years, especially with the onset of AI and smart technology capabilities. Undoubtably, hiring for hard skills such as coding for web development or financial literacy for accounting positions is still the top priority. But soft skills should certainly be considered alongside these attributes and, for jobs that have less hard skill requirements, sometimes be front and centre in a hiring manager’s mind. Following a recent Deloitte Insights survey that found “92% of companies reported that human capabilities or soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills in today’s business world”, Forbes published an article that identified five pivotal soft skills for today’s global market and reclassified them as ‘durable’ skills; they were “compassion, employer-employee trust, empathy, connection and kindfulness”.

Attitude Versus Experience

Ultimately one of the main lessons I have learnt from past recruitment journeys is that attitude should trump experience. Experience and skills can be taught, but attitude and approach, which is typically quite ingrained by the time someone is looking for a job, will tell you far more about the type of contribution an individual is likely to make. Obviously this isn’t a completely hard and fast rule, but I have seen first-hand the benefits of hiring someone who comes to work with a positive, can-do attitude, bags of initiative and a willingness to learn. I, like you I am sure, have also seen what it is like when a person who matches the skill set is onboarded but, thanks to their stubborn and divisive demeanor, team productivity actually takes a hit. Whilst some hard skills are completely necessary for certain jobs (you wouldn’t hire a neurosurgeon without a medical degree, no matter how nice they were), for other roles attitude can be just as important in the long-term. A candidate’s adaptability, cultural fit and engagement with team dynamics are often more likely to determine their impact on the office and performance. For most people, learning a skill is far easier than changing an attitude and when you take a chance on someone who wants to grow and develop, not only are you able to train them in the methodologies that suit your business, they are far more likely to feel motivated and engaged as an employee, which are huge drivers for retention and productivity.

At the end of the day, like most things, it is about finding the right balance, which isn’t always easy. But the next time you are interviewing, make sure to evaluate their soft skills and get a good sense of their attitude in the workplace; it could make all the difference.