Who fits on your team? When I ask this question of leaders, we often generate a long list of things like: team player, passionate about their work, hard-working, good sense of humour and the list goes on.
The problem is, most things on the list are personality traits. Not competencies. And you’re hiring someone to do a job, not to be your buddy. As much as possible, we should be focused on skills, not subjective characteristics
This can be a toughie for a lot of people. We want to hire people we like. But when we hire based on personality traits, we give power to our unconscious biases and exclude talented individuals from groups underrepresented in the workplace. Remember, it’s a job, not a cocktail party. You don’t actually need to “connect” with all your employees.
At the heart of inclusive hiring lies the understanding that diversity goes beyond surface-level attributes. Inclusive hiring involves embracing unique perspectives, experiences, and competencies that diverse backgrounds can bring. While diversifying the candidate pipeline is a great first step, it’s important to be intentional about who gets an interview and, eventually, gets hired.
In making choices about who to interview, leaders can start by establishing clear and objective selection criteria based on the job requirements. This means focusing on the essential competencies, skills, and qualifications needed for success in the role rather than relying on subjective notions of “fit” or personal preferences.
The word “fit” should be a red flag in hiring conversations. Usually it’s code for someone who will blend in easily with the people who are already here. Which means more people like we already have. Which can lead to homogeneity and ultimately, groupthink. And we thereby circumvent the benefits of a diverse workforce.
Do you hire for fit? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one!
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
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