HIRING
5 Tips To Stop Candidates With The Wrong Stuff
BY DR . GEOFF SMART
Irecently had the opportunity to sit down with Carter Cast , the author behind The Right — and Wrong — Stuff : How Brilliant Careers Are Made and Unmade . Hiring success has a great influence on career success , and we discussed five negative archetypes that confront employers while filling a job opening . Together , Carter and I discovered some telltale signs that your interviewee may fall into one of these categories .
“ CAPTAIN FANTASTIC ”
While it might seem like Captain Fantastic would be a vital part of your team , they often cause division . Someone who is a Captain Fantastic is usually overambitious and has no qualms about stepping on others to get ahead . If you ’ re interviewing a candidate and they mention that their greatest accomplishments revolve around beating others rather than delivering value or developing teams , you probably have a Captain Fantastic on your hands .
SOLO FLYER
Have you ever worked with someone who thinks their way is the best and only way to do something ? It ’ s very frustrating . While this type works well individually , this can be detrimental to a team environment . They usually claim to have no time or are too busy to accomplish their tasks . In reality , they may fail to hire and delegate properly . I ’ ve met with many people who fit this category and end up leaving their job due to burnout after taking on too much work .
VERSION 1.0
Change is a necessity in the workplace , but sometimes people prefer to stick to their routine . To spot these people in interviews , listen to their stories and pay attention if they mention changes in the workplace and how they responded . If they stayed on the same path , that ’ s a red flag . I knew a manufacturing executive who failed to adapt to new technologies . This caused him to lose some of his biggest clients , and the business fell into a tailspin .
THE ONE-TRICK PONY
These people usually get stuck in a rut because they rely on their greatest strength to solve all problems . They will often aim for lateral moves rather than trying to broaden their horizons . I interviewed a one-trick pony recently who wrote amazing copy but struggled when meeting with clients face-to-face . His communication skills weren ’ t strong enough to work with clients or lead large teams . His career became stagnant even though he was eager to grow and move up .
WHIRLING DERVISH
Energetic employees improve morale and production in a workplace but sometimes lack the follow-through needed to complete projects . You can usually spot these people in interviews if you notice them avoiding your questions . They often come up with excuses for why they didn ’ t achieve results . Great ideas and strong morale do not make up for a lack of completion .
With knowledge of these archetypes , you can avoid hiring the wrong candidate for your team and , instead , focus on finding the perfect fit .
10