Ability or availability?

Musings from Dennis #73: In my early days of hiring, I began by earnestly looking for the person with the best qualifications for the job. But over the years I realized that unless they possessed the needed soft skills, not much can be accomplished in meeting our KPIs. So I switched gear and started looking into the candidates’ extra-curricular activities besides their professional expertise. I asked them what they did in their free time and how involved they were in their college or uni life, like participating in social activities and even organising barbeques! One person I met told me she preferred to sit at home on weekends and read. Nothing wrong with that but she did not like going out to shop, despite the fact that this position required someone to spot trends and shopper habits ‘out there’, besides also being a team player. I also found out that when someone is very qualified (able) she or he may not be that teachable to learn the nuances and intricacies unique to our company and trade. As such, from my point of view, having someone who is available (teachable, able to flex, open to trying new things etc) instead can do wonders for us both and for the team at large.