Beyond the Buzzwords: What “Hiring for Character” Actually Looks Like in Practice

There is a big difference between what makes a good worker versus a successful employee.

Traits for a successful new hire

Many of the traits that make a new hire successful and profitable are character-based – it’s not necessarily about working from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., it’s about honesty and integrity.

It’s a bonus for an innovative idea or an ambitious move. It’s about being dependable and responsible.

The health of every company depends on the ethical behavior of every one of its employees.

Character counts.

When making hiring decisions for your organization, focusing on soft skills – or, traits and competencies – can help ensure longevity and loyalty among your team.

Traits – Traits are also called “character qualities” or “personality traits”. They often have to do more with patterns of behaviors or feelings that make a person unique and can reflect their character or attitude towards particular situations.

Examples of traits are sensitivity, honesty, and compassion.‍

Competencies – Competencies are the specific knowledge and behavior a person may have that lead them to be successful at work. They explain how a person reaches their desired result.

Examples of competencies are initiative, negotiation, fairness, and innovation.

Character Matters

There’s no doubt that hiring, firing, and promotion fundamentally shape the culture of an organization for better and worse. Simply put, organizational culture reflects the character of individuals within it. Therefore, attending to character is a real leverage point.

A person’s character influences every area of how they use their credentials.

Everyone may think you’re a hard worker, but do they want to be in the same room as you?

A client may appreciate how well you know the numbers, but did you show up to the meeting on time?

You can have solid credentials and still fail in a job if you have poor personal character.

However, if you have a strong character, it will penetrate the way you exercise your credentials and drive success every time.

Hiring for personality makes the employer/employee relationship much easier to manage. If you’ve hired for character, you know that you’ve chosen someone whose integrity and values match yours, and hopefully, this will lead to less fallout, more understanding, and easy conversations around difficult topics.

While hiring for skills is incredibly important, it’s also important to hire candidates who have the willingness to learn any skills they may be lacking. By assessing for personality, character, and skills, you’re giving opportunities to those who may not have traditional qualifications.

Character-Focused Hiring Practices

If our years in the industry have taught us anything, it’s that hiring is not a one-size-fits-all practice.

Finding the right fit for any position requires a level of nuance and understanding that cannot be applied to every role within the same team, let alone an entire organization.

When it comes to character-focused hiring, though, there are a few practices that can be applied consistently – no matter the position.

“Strive for authentic conversations about real-life experiences. These kinds of genuine conversations will build better connections than any checklist ever will. They put candidates at ease and may uncover some untapped potential.”

Treat a character interview as a conversation

• Understand that the interviewer’s character is revealed as well as the interviewee’s

It’s not uncommon to hear that people being interviewed were so impressed by the interviewer that it really sold them on joining the organization. However, the opposite can also happen.

• Use probing questions

It doesn’t matter where you start because character interviews are like the proverbial peeling of an onion, with layers emerging as you explore the person’s background…At no time are you asking directly about the dimensions of character; rather, you’re having a general conversation with the person about themselves.

• Look for signs of strengths and weaknesses in interviewees’ stories

“Elevating character alongside competence in organizations is associated with a greater return on assets, more effective leaders, greater psychological safety, and increased organizational commitment and work engagement. It offers the potential for a sustainable competitive advantage in the war for talent.”

Why TZR wins with a character hire every time

When we are working with candidates in our Talent Zone, we are balancing their skills and interests with a unique set of tasks. But most importantly, we are working with them as human beings, not just credentials on a piece of paper.

We are looking for infectious personalities because we know they will be able to build relationships with our clients’ customers and their colleagues.

We are looking for people who want to align with our clients’ values.

We are as interested in how people do things, just as much as what they do.

“To build something lasting, hire people who are honest, reliable and grounded in integrity, people with the emotional intelligence and judgment to handle what the job and life throw at them. Technology may make hiring faster, but lasting hires come from character, not convenience.”

If you’re ready to hire right – connect with us today.