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You Can’t Hire Attitude

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It can be said that by the time you join the workforce, your attitude — your general outlook on life and how you present yourself — is relatively set. Attitude is one of those intrinsic qualities people have that goes along with a good work ethic and a high level of integrity. These are foundational traits ingrained in us during childhood and often quite difficult to teach (although not impossible to learn). As human beings, we use the examples of those around us — such as our families, friends, teachers and coaches — to form our personalities and moral compasses. These traits direct us through life and subsequently, we bring them with us on the job.

The Psychology of Attitude

Now, I’m no psychologist, but I remember from my college psychology classes that when you do a personality inventory on someone at age 18 and then again at age 40, there will typically be little change in terms of attitude. Attitude is one attribute that follows a person in life, and thus a key indicator used by human resource professionals to gauge how successful a person may be in a given position.

People with positive attitudes tend to be more desirable to companies, as they usually have better soft skills (for example, listening skills, respect and empathy) and are more adept at working with others to solve challenges. They become top performers because of their innate ability to discuss and accept challenges, and move forward in working toward optimal solutions, even the most difficult situations.

What Hiring Managers Want

When hiring managers discuss with me what they are looking for in a candidate, I overwhelmingly hear them describe a person who is going to show up to work with a great attitude. The manager feels that he or she can teach a new employee the rest, but an attitude that doesn’t “click” with the team just won’t work.

Think about it: Aren’t ideal employees those with the right mix of positive attitude, confidence, energy, team spirit and genuine caring? Many organizations, including MCPc, are willing to hire “green” candidates with great attitudes because we know that attitude is a soft skill nearly impossible to cultivate, and also key to building an effective, motivated workforce.

What Interviewers Look For

Interviewers look to determine early on in the hiring process whether or not a candidate has an attitude that will fit in well with the department and organization to which he or she is applying. This is almost always reflected in overall demeanor and energy level.

Positive attitudes shine through in the way candidates talk about their past experiences. Although some prior work experiences may have been verifiably difficult, poor attitudes about former employers don’t necessarily bode well for a candidate. Rather, an interviewer views an individual that can effectively describe how he or she overcame a challenge at a previous position much more favorably. Discussing previous experiences also says a lot about one’s attitude and overall character. A friendly smile, direct eye contact, attentive listening skills and the ability to look at past experiences with a sense of humor can demonstrate a desirable attitude.

Balancing Pessimism

One other common misconception is assuming that a “pessimistic viewpoint” translates to a bad attitude. Some of our best employees are pessimists (you know who you are), and just because they look at a glass as half-empty instead of half-full doesn’t mean they have a bad attitude or poor work ethic. 

An organization needs multiple outlooks to build a well-rounded company that delivers quality solutions, ongoing flexibility and a high level of service to its customers. 

Keeping Things Positive

Employers have a responsibility to provide a positive work environment as a means of fostering good attitudes among employees. Setting realistic goals and expectations, balancing workloads and providing open lines of communication all contribute to an employee’s positive attitude. And, employees themselves can foster positive attitudes among their co-workers by showing respect for them, refusing to take part in office gossip, and being as helpful and supportive as possible when they see someone in need of assistance.

Great companies are built on great people with great attitudes. How does your organization foster a positive working environment?

Beth Stec is VP of Corporate Communications and Human Resources at MCPc, and is responsible for the development and management of personnel programs and policies. Connect with Beth on LinkedIn.

Photo credit: where are the joneses

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