Recently, while having a catch up with a candidate to discuss a potential opportunity in the Brisbane market, the candidate spoke about how he can’t understand why he has failed to secure the right role with an organisation in 2 months.

The candidate went on to tell me how he had gone over his resume with a fine-tooth comb, attended interviewing courses and had even re-evaluated his rate. As his new recruiter I asked him to think about the level of roles he was applying for. I suggested that maybe the roles he was applying for were too senior – he took this on board but stood by his feeling that Hiring Managers are recruiting candidates that, on paper, have strong technical skills but may not have the passion, drive or cultural fit to really succeed in a role.

At first glance, yes, it is appealing to have someone with an impressive resume and an exciting skillset – however, when I spoke with a client about a current contractor they have, this well known organisation told me that they thought that the candidate they had put in this position was initially perfect, due to the technical skills and background, but over time they failed to work in a team environment or match the culture.

The problem this organisation has is that they hired a candidate who was technically strong but did not posses the interpersonal skills to succeed in a large, dynamic organisation.

Oh, how my candidate was right! How do you hire? Do you recruit someone who is technically strong, but does not demonstrate the right personality, drive and eagerness to succeed in a tough environment?

Take some time today and have a read through this article by Mark Murphy, the author of ‘Hiring for Attitude’.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2012/01/23/89-of-new-hires-fail-because-of-their-attitude