After recruiting for about 15 small business owners since September, I decided to look for patterns in the candidates that actually got hired. In case you are looking for staff, here are the traits of the candidates that made it across the finish line:

These were traits that were non-negotiable across all roles:

• Accountability – owns outcomes, no blame shifting
• Comfort being measured – accepts metrics and feedback
• Reliability & consistency – low drama, dependable execution
• Respect for process – follows systems before improving them
• Calm under pressure – emotionally regulated in stress
• Real-world operating experience – understands consequences

Role specific must haves:

• Residential Sales Associate (RSA): Listening, trust-based selling, closing comfort
• Production / Service: Quality focus, consistency, service mindset
• Management: Decision ownership, systems thinking, enforcing standards

Just as important are the traits that did NOT correlate to a candidate’s hireablity:

• High sociability or outgoing personality
• High emotional expressiveness
• Fast talkers / verbal speed
• Interview likability or “good vibes”

Backgrounds that the hires came from:

• Consequence-rich environments
• Careers which required daily accountability
• Customer-facing and problem ownership roles
• Operational messy jobs

---

Interested in hiring me to hire for you? Click here for pricing and information.

Want to DIY my hiring process? Here you go!

Have you sourced your own candidate and want an experienced second opinion? Yes, I do that too.