Good Attitude Trumps Perfect Skills

in Recruitment Process

By: Geoff Newman

New research has revealed that showing the right attitude during the recruitment process can sometimes work to a candidate’s benefit more than the skills on their CV.

In a survey of 1,000 employers carried out by recruitment group Reed, 96 per cent said that they would opt for a candidate who may not have the complete set of skills they were looking for but had a perfect mindset, over one who ticked every skill box but whose attitude was not quite right.

Firing also reflected similar priorities as hiring. When the employers were asked about who they would let go first if they were forced to reduce their workforce, two-thirds said that they would prefer to keep someone with the right attitude over someone with a perfect skill set.

Geoff Newman from flat fee recruitment agency RecruitmentGenius.com believes the survey’s findings are nothing new.

“Companies have always hired and fired based on attitude. Likewise candidates have also resigned because of a poor managers’ attitude rather than a poor company. Ultimately someone with a great attitude always makes up for lack of skills, product or industry knowledge. They inspire confidence to train and invest in, as well as making the business environment better.”

One of the employers surveyed – Saville Row tailor, Richard Anderson – said the results of the survey were a very accurate reflection of what he had experienced.

“We get inundated by young people asking for work experience and applying for jobs,” he said. “I look at the guys who come back and like badgering me. If they are enthusiastic and committed then we have something to work with.”

The employers ranked the top six key attitude qualities as “commitment, honesty, trustworthiness, adaptability, accountability, and loyalty.”