There are plenty of clich\u00e9s that hiring managers use to describe the type of employees they\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want real go-getters,\u201d they say, or \u201cWe want employees who are ready to hit the ground running from day one.\u201d<\/p>\n
What they mean is that they want hard workers who know their stuff. That\u2019s great, but throw in the requisite education and experience, and you have the recipe for another average employee who could fit in just fine with your competitors.<\/p>\n
But in today\u2019s crowded marketplace, a run-of-the-mill team made up of run-of-the-mill employees isn\u2019t going to cut it. Instead of working from the same wish list as every other company, consider these characteristics to build a truly exceptional team:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Intellectual curiosity:<\/b> This isn\u2019t the same as being smart. People with intellectual curiosity want to learn, grow, and evolve. They\u2019re constantly looking for new challenges, answers to their questions, and better ways to get things done. These are the type of employees you want because they\u2019re the ones who will challenge conventional thinking and keep your company one step ahead of the competition.<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Authenticity:<\/b> There\u2019s something refreshing about people who carve their own paths. You don\u2019t want suck-ups; you want team members who aren\u2019t afraid to be their unique selves because it makes for a much more interesting and creative workplace.<\/p>\n
Think of folks like Bill Gates, Mahatma Gandhi, Steve Jobs, Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, and Bono. We love them for who they are, and their unique personalities helped them make impressive contributions to society.<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Candor:<\/b> Ask interviewees what they think of your company based on their experience or perception. Many of them won\u2019t answer the question directly \u2014 either because they haven\u2019t done enough research to form an opinion or because they\u2019re trying to be polite.<\/p>\n
If they can\u2019t give you the truth at that initial meeting, expect them to pad the truth as an employee. You don\u2019t want to fill your team with yes-men. You want employees with thoughts and opinions of their own who will push your team to improve.<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>A life:<\/b> As tempting as it is to hire hyper-dedicated employees who will be the first in and last out every day, at some point you\u2019ll recognize that there\u2019s only so much they can contribute without seeing the world.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Don\u2019t underestimate the value a balanced life brings to the workplace. Without friends, family, hobbies, and travel, employees run the risk of becoming one-dimensional, which will limit their long-term growth.<\/p>\n
5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Food knowledge:<\/b> You\u2019re going to be spending a lot of time with these people, and aside from the air you breathe, food is your most common shared experience. Lunch or dinner meetings don\u2019t have to mean poring over spreadsheets in the boardroom with a greasy slice of pizza in hand (unless that\u2019s your thing).<\/p>\n
Someone with a healthy appreciation for interesting food options will know where to get the best butter chicken and which spots have good ambiance for brainstorming and a top-notch wine selection. Find someone who takes food seriously to ensure you have a team of people who are fun to dine with.<\/p>\n
With multiple generations in the workplace and technology changing so quickly, new hires need to be able to grow and adapt while harnessing their passion and intellectual firepower. Most technical skills can be learned with the right training, so don\u2019t base your hiring on what everyone else is looking for. Work on building a team that\u2019s truly unique.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There are plenty of clich\u00e9s that hiring managers use to describe the type of employees they\u2019re looking for. \u201cWe want real go-getters,\u201d they say, or \u201cWe want employees who are ready to hit the ground running from day one.\u201d What they mean is that they want hard workers who know their stuff. That\u2019s great, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1417,"featured_media":11118,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43902],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-professional-development"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n