By Kara Masterson, Special for USDR
Finding quality staff remains a top priority for every organization. An organization is only as good as its people. Look for these six aspects in every new employee.
Talent
An employee’s natural talent is likely the most important aspect in maintaining a productive Talent cannot be trained or taught. Rather, talent naturally separates one staff member from the next. Assess candidates for the specific talents needed in the particular job.
Competence
Competence is the ability for someone to learn a set of skills unique to any position. Skill sets vary from job to job. Managers need to define what skills are needed and whether a candidate has the competency to develop the necessary skills.
Civil engineering masters programs attract talented students who have the ability to acquire the necessary skill set. Civil engineers tend to be gifted individuals with the requisite talents and makeup to enhance and develop their skills to make themselves marketable to businesses seeking quality team members. Because these engineers can relate to people, civil engineering masters programs assist in the development of quality engineers who can both get good work done and contribute as positive team players.
Team Player
All organizations benefit from good team players. All organizations suffer from poor team players. The need to assess a candidate’s value in working with others is paramount in interviews. Hire team players who will contribute to the work team in healthy ways.
Personality Fit
While assessing a candidate’s willingness to work on a team, candidates must be assessed for their corporate fit. Does their personality fit into the corporate culture? Do tastes and preferences contribute to or distract from company structure? Ignoring this aspect of employee engagement can be a detriment to corporate dynamics.
Character
Character involves civility, morality, and integrity. Can this candidate make good decisions that contribute to the bottom line? Are self-control and self-discipline an issue? Does the potential new hire possess values that would add to or take away from the company’s baseline values? Has the candidate demonstrated integrity in past work and personal situations?
Flexibility
The commitment to flexibility is often the most overlooked aspect in new hires. The rapid pace of business change demands a flexible staff, including flexible engineers.
These six aspects must be assessed by a hiring manager in the search process. Prospective employees and students who embody and develop these six areas put themselves at the front of the hiring queue.