How to Hire for Any Organization
Don’t just focus on culture fit. Look for future fit, as well.
Hiring is critical, yet organizations fail at it time and time again. The best candidates are rarely chosen, and a lot of not-so-great candidates are selected for all the wrong reasons: nepotism, politics, bias, etc.
After sitting on both sides of the table, I believe there are fundamental characteristics every organization should look for in every candidate, regardless of role or industry. Organizations focused on hiring individuals with these traits will gain a significant competitive advantage.
Character
The most important trait a candidate must possess is character. Specifically, an organization should carefully evaluate whether a candidate is honest, trustworthy, and has integrity.
Pick partners with high intelligence, energy, and above all, high integrity.”
— Naval Ravikant
One way an organization can begin to assess a candidate’s character is by asking them:
- Have you ever been in a negotiation where you had all the leverage? What did you do?
- Is there a time you failed to do something important you had promised to do?
- Could you describe a time you succeeded? What was the…