Attitude and Integrity Are Still Most Important in Hiring
Recently, Express Employment Professionals, North America’s largest franchised staffing firm, released findings that reveal which traits are most important when hiring a candidate for a job.
The findings come from the 2014 edition of the “America Employed/Canada Employed” survey of 137 Express franchises. Respondents were asked to rate various traits on a scale of one to five based on how important they are when evaluating applicants.
“Attitude” and “work ethic/integrity” topped the lists in both the U.S. and Canada, followed closely by other traits, including “credible work history, “culture fit,” “job experience,” and “references.” “Education” received the lowest average rating in both countries.
“I’m not surprised that integrity and attitude continue to top the list,” said Bob Funk, CEO of Express Employment Professionals. “Even the best education is no substitute for a good attitude. Of course, education is important, but while employers can teach their employees new skills, it’s much more difficult to teach things like integrity, work ethic, or attitude.
“Job seekers should keep that in mind. You’re much more than your resume. Employers don’t just want someone who has the skills and knowledge to succeed. They are also looking for people they can work with on a daily basis and trust to represent their companies well.”
Full results for the U.S. and Canada are below.
What are the most important traits you look for in a job candidate? Let us know in the comments section below.
Refresh Leadership is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
Interesting to see culture fit is of a higher fit than both work ethic and integrity.