Recruiting top talent for your practice is never an easy process. A lot of time and effort is put into interviewing, so we want to make sure we get it right for our Associates. Of course, our initial screening process begins with considering a candidate’s background, experience, and education. But there is so much more that goes into finding the perfect fit for your staff. It is important to the recruiting team at CQ Partners to ensure we are interviewing candidates based on their expertise, but also seeking out those with winning personalities.
In a 2013 survey of over 500 business development, communications, and tech industry leaders, 78% identified personality as the absolute most desirable quality in a potential employee. Meanwhile, skill-set was ranked only the third most important at 39%, following behind cultural alignment at 53%.
Are you someone that looks for candidates who can “hit the ground running” because they already possess the required skill set? While the learning curve may be a concern for busy practices looking to fill positions quickly, there are pitfalls to only interviewing based on skill set. Remember, skills can be taught, but the right attitude and personality cannot.
We recommend focusing on finding someone with a great personality and putting the time into onboarding that employee and cultivating their talent. Personality conflicts between a new hire and their superior are one of the leading reasons for employee turnover. Incorporating behavioral questions in your interview process can uncover how different personality types would handle certain situations and really tell us a lot about if they will be successful. CQ’s recruiters work closely with their accounts and are experts at finding the ideal candidates for each practice, as no two practices are alike.
Below are some traits that we can interview for during our recruiting process to find the personality that best fits your practice’s culture:
- Ability to learn/adaptable to change
- Response to stressful situations and constructive criticism
- Analytical skills
- Teamwork and social skills
- Integrity, honesty, empathy
- Determination and drive for success
- Accountability/ownership of responsibilities
If you are interested in learning more about specific questions that you can ask during the interview process, please reach out to CQ’s Recruiting Department at recruiting@cq-partners.com or 800-984-3272.
Source: Hyper Island Executive Study, 2014
About the Author
Jason DiOttavio joined CQ Partners as a Corporate Recruiter in 2011. Previously, he worked as an agency recruiter for a staffing firm specializing in IT/Administrative roles including such large companies as Dietz & Watson. When not working, Jason enjoys spending time with his wife and two young daughters. He’s also obsessed with cooking shows and finding new ice cream and donut shops.
