Episode: 511

Episode Title: Why Hard Skills Aren’t Enough

It’s tough to get qualified workers. What’s even tougher is getting the ones who will contribute to a positive work culture. Let’s talk about it, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 511 show:

Hello, this is The Perna Syndicate and I’m your host, Mark Perna! It’s an interesting time to be in the market for a new job—and to be the person doing the hiring. MIT recently found the primary reason people are quitting their jobs is because their workplace is toxic. Employers HAVE to foster the kind of culture that inspires people to come to work each day—and like it.

But that dynamic has also created significant challenges for recruiters in backfilling their open positions. What if they’re interviewing candidates who have all the right technical abilities, but lack the behavioral skills the team needs?

Put another way, how can hiring managers ensure that they’re not bringing in the one bad apple that can spoil the entire barrel? 

It’s not enough to have only the knowledge and competency to do the job. Hard skills, while critical, aren’t going to cut it by themselves. No one wants to work with a jerk, no matter how good that person may be at their job. Companies need people who will contribute to a positive culture within the organization. 

It’s what I’ve been preaching for years: professional skills, or the traits and abilities that make for success in the workplace, are incredibly important. Turns out they matter just as much as academic knowledge and technical skills, if you don’t want your company turning toxic. 

On the next episode of The Perna Syndicate, we’ll look at “legacy behavior” and what that means when you’re hiring, especially for leadership roles. Take care and we’ll see you then!