Talent Vs Attitude

When you are opening a business, and looking for staff, it is imperative to hire the right people. Remember, you are only as good as your ‘worst’ employee.

When hiring employees, owners are frequently faced with this age-old question.

Simple answer and final answer – always hire for attitude. You can train people to do things your way; however, you can’t train people to be nice, enthusiastic and happy.

A lot of first-time owners choose the skilled employee a lot of the time because it means that they don’t have to do as much work. There is also a shorter training period, fewer hassles and the new hire can be ‘on the schedule’ faster. I see that. I see it every day in fact. People with poor attitudes serve me all the time. These people get hired because the owner is lazy. He didn’t want to suffer in the short term; so, he made the wrong decision and instead of him suffering, he makes his customers suffer. Where is the logic in that? Making a decision like that can really hurt the business going forward.

Let’s have a look at the impact of hiring the “wrong” employee.
1.  He/she can hurt the quality of your service
2.  He/she can destroy employee morale
3.  He/she can make the manager/owner look incompetent
4.  He/she can cost the business money

As you can see, there is no winner.

In business, hiring the right people is one of the building blocks for a successful business. Having a team of upbeat, enthusiastic, friendly employees speaks volumes about the owner, the company, its culture, and its philosophy. Good companies hire based on attitude. They feel that in the long run and through proper training that they can turn anyone into a good technician.

So, there is the answer. Hire attitude over talent ………. every time.