Why Hire Character over Credentials

Over the past few years, we’ve seen an evolution of what is valued in an employee.

Character Counts

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

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?

Increasing Sales Success Through Relationships

The backbone of sales is building trust. It’s about relationships. If someone cannot trust a sales person, they are not going to buy from them. Period. End of story – even if you have an MBA.  

Calculus may be needed, but creativity is valued.

Knowledge is needed, but empathy builds a winning team.

Customer Loyalty

Horst Schulze in his book ‘Excellence Wins’ says “Elegance without warmth is arrogance”.

This comment is about assumptions; assuming you know more than a customer, assuming you know more than anyone. Knowledge is one thing, how you use it makes all the difference.

If a customer feels uneasy, or that you’re not going to come through for them their loyalty will fade very quickly. Hiring people with diverse life experiences, a curious nature, and an innate ability to connect with people will ensure a more successful customer interaction.

The Talent Zone is About More Than Skills

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. 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.

Hiring an employee with the right character effects success including;

• your sales potential,
• your company culture and employee retention,
• and your customer loyalty.

Don’t Confuse What Makes a ‘Good Worker’ With What Makes a ‘Good Employee’

We encounter this a lot during our day at the TZ Headquarters – there is a big difference between what makes a good worker versus a successful employee.

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.

Simply put, the health of every company depends on the ethical behavior of every one of its employees. Character counts.