A question that often comes to mind when it comes to recruitment is what really does matter more, Skills or Attitude? As an employer, do you hire based on Skills or do you look at the Attitude first? In this article Skills Vs Attitude, I’m going to talk about how skills and attitude play their roles in the human resource setting. As a result, I hope you will be able to learn a thing or two. And maybe even use it as a guide when you will have to hire some help, whether in business or in your personal life.
What are skills?
According to Merriam – Webster, skills can be defined as:
- the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance.
- dexterity or coordination especially in the execution of learned physical tasks.
- a learned power of doing something competently
- a developed aptitude or ability language skills
Do you hire based on skills alone? For instance, if you need help in creating and optimizing product listings and you came across an applicant who can do exactly what you were looking for. However, this applicant, badmouths his previous employer? Would you turn a blind eye and hire him because he is good at what he does and ignore his unprofessional attitude?
What is attitude?
Wiki says it’s the settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior. There is also called a job attitude which is a set of evaluations of one’s job that constitute one’s feelings, beliefs, and attachment to one’s job.
Skills Vs Attitude
Will one really outrank the other? This is a constant debate in human resources all around the globe. It can be pretty exhausting but when you, as an employer or a hiring manager, have decided what you really are looking for, then everything will slowly fall into place.
Differences between skills and attitude
It is difficult to find one candidate who has both skills and attitude. One candidate who has the right skills and the right attitude is a rare gem. Hence, you have to try to balance it out. I have been on both sides of the spectrum – as a hiring manager and as a candidate. The debate on Skills vs Attitude is a very popular topic in the human resource world.
As a hiring manager, which counts more, skills or attitude?
Back when I was in the corporate world, I have interviewed and terminated a number of employees. The reasons vary from skills to attitude. However, generally, it would always boil down to attitude. I have had to terminate a contract with someone who excelled in her job but was often absent. When she was at work, you could rely on her 110% of the time. She will deliver excellent results. However, in a 5-day work week, she’d be out 3 days, sometimes 4 – without notice. Several attempts were made to correct the behavior but in the end, she didn’t want to adjust to the rules. She said she was good and that she would not have issues finding another job. Last I’ve heard, she was hopping from one company to another, staying for barely a quarter. This is one example where attitude outranked skills.
What about as a candidate?
When I shifted from the corporate world to being a freelancer a few years ago, I know I didn’t have solid experience, especially in eCommerce. However, I also had a very big heart and the right attitude to be able to land the best clients one can ever have. I have managed to develop and upskill myself, initially on my own, but because I have the best clients, they also helped me by giving me opportunities to excel. Some even paid for my continuing education to further hone my skills. When I was starting out, I had to highlight the positive attitude that I possess and the willingness to learn and be coached. Fortunately, I can truly say that the clients I have are the best ones one can ever have. Again, this was attitude winning over skills.
Overall
Being someone who has been on both sides of the spectrum, it’s really difficult to strike the balance between skills and attitude. For a hiring manager, there are several tests that you can use to have a glimpse of the candidate’s attitude. Skills are easy to see but attitude is more complicated. As a candidate who used to lack skills but was heavy on the attitude part, all I can say is, when you have the right attitude, you will attract the right clients. When you have the right ones, you will also be able to fully develop and reach your full potential. Eventually, you will be on that stage where skills and attitude are perfectly working together not only for your own benefit, but just as importantly, for the people who surround you- whether physically or virtually.
