You’re Hiring The Wrong Person

Why you should be looking beyond resumes and work culture

We all want a candidate who’ll fit right in on day one or whose resume shines with achievements. However, that may be doing more harm than good. Here’s why you are hiring the wrong person for the job.

Dispelling the “work culture” myth

“Work Culture.” What does the phrase even mean?

When you look at your business, you know exactly how it should feel when someone new walks through the door. For some jobs, work culture may mean suits, ties, and professional talk, or in other cases, possibly a more laid back and casual environment. Whatever it is, we want people who match the style and often hire those we think will.

When someone walks in the door on their first day, they want two things: To fit in and to stand out — Well, and a paycheck.

Fitting into the work culture makes sure everyone will get along, lessening the headbutting that can cause productivity problems. That’s great!

Less time spent bickering means more time spent working. More time employees spend working means more revenue coming in. Isn’t making money the goal of running a business, anyway?

It also tailors the atmosphere to your liking, ensuring you can build the company you want. I mean, this is your baby. Why wouldn’t you want it to be the way you envisioned it?

You may be wrong, though. Your work culture could actually be hurting your employees’ productivity.

Hiring people based on how well they mesh can cause echo chambers of like-minded individuals looking at problems precisely the same way. Maybe you’ve heard this in the form of a buzzword — “groupthink.”

When someone walks in the door on their first day, they want two things: To fit in and to stand out — Well, and a paycheck.

Sometimes, being around the same personalities ensures they blend in instead of motivating them to seek ways to stand out.

Everyone is on the same page, sure, except the page was copied and pasted with nothing new added for the last ten chapters. Now, you end up with clones, not people, with no discernible differences, save for appearance.

“Nah, not at my business.”

Of course, not. You promote an open-door policy allowing employees to speak their minds. You seek innovators who bring fresh ideas to the company.

Let me ask, though, when was the last time they did? When was the last time you honestly had some push-back about an idea you threw out in a meeting?

You may very well have a work culture issue that doesn’t allow your employees to really “think outside of the box.”

Looking beyond the resume

Another reason you are probably hiring the wrong person is you’re focusing too much on work accomplishments. While resumes are a valuable part of finding candidates to interview, sometimes you can miss the chance to consider things they don’t cover.

No one ever puts, “I dropped out to take care of my younger sibling after our parents passed away,” on their resume.

When looking for prospective hires, it shouldn’t always be, “What makes them a fit for the position?” A good question to ask yourself is, “What do they have that the position is missing?”

Everyone’s story of how they got where they are is different. It’s those distinctions that can bring new life to your company. Whether it’s a college dropout whose resume is less than desirable, or a top of class Harvard grad, what do they have that isn’t conventional.

You won’t always find the answer written down, so take a risk on someone who might not fit the exact mold of what you expect.

No one ever puts ,“I dropped out to take care of my younger sibling after our parents passed away,” on their resume.

Instead, you see they dropped out, think they probably lacked the motivation to finish, and their resume promptly finds its way to the trashcan. You just missed a candidate who is compassionate, and has steadfast determination.

While not to say you should hire someone who isn’t qualified, consider maybe qualifications might be a little more subjective.

Great candidates aren’t always the ones with the most remarkable career accomplishments. They could have unique life triumphs. It could often mean they’ve had the chance to apply critical thinking to overcome challenges, rather than kissing butt to make it ahead. The skills they learned through adversity can prove to be much more valuable.

The advantage of hiring the right person

It may seem like a gamble to hire someone who doesn’t have many similarities with yourself or their co-workers. However, it very well could be the best decision you can make. Running a business doesn’t mean you have to be friends with everyone there. Even co-workers don’t have to be best of friends at work.

Of course, you want people to get along while working, but you run the risk of never challenging what’s possible. When personalities clash, they are often looking through a different lens at the same problem.

Rather than minimizing conflict, learn from it. Coming together in those stressful situations allows for personal growth and helps build trust. Bringing on people who challenge our culture, and come from differing life circumstances, can help find solutions others miss.

Trust isn’t something that comes from copied and pasted backgrounds matching the last five new hires — it comes from finding our differences and overcoming them together.

By fostering an ability to bring their own experiences into the workplace, you allow them to make an impact. This also creates a healthier culture where employees feel their opinion is valued. In turn, it will motivate them and lead to a more productive environment.

When you look beyond your business’ culture and words on a resume, you may find someone amazing. Are you sure you’re hiring the right person for the job?