Some people want to be the smartest person in the room – you know the type, often wrong but never uncertain. It’s better to be the hardest worker in the room – quiet and dedicated, and always there until things are done. The kind you can rely on, the one you want on your team, and a person you can trust. I’m working on a project to review job descriptions for a gaming company, and I’m amazed that they currently focus solely on technical competencies and not on having the right attitude. I realize it’s easier to assess whether someone knows how to do something, but once on the job most managers want people who’ll show up every day, have a positive outlook, be flexible, and quick to bounce back when things don’t go as they should (which happens often). There are behavioral questions and professional assessments that can get at these attitudinal issues, but most hiring managers would rather see if you can operate a computer or change a light bulb. I call it ‘hiring for attitude’ – looking for the person you’ll want on the team; and ‘training for skills’ – because good hiring managers take the time to train and coach good employees. The key to successful hiring is, there is not key. Get people with the right attitude and show them how to do the work today.
Dwayne Johnson (born 1972): American actor and professional wrestler, also known by his ring name the Rock.
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