Skills. They are, without question, of huge importance. Without them none of us could perform our jobs. Trouble is, as important as the skillset each of us brings to our work is, the laundry list of them is far more important to us as employers than it is to the candidates who bring them. In fact, there are at least three factors of greater importance to candidates than skillset. And all of them have more to do with mindset and motivation than hard skills. 

Studies have shown that not taking this reality into account puts your job post at an extreme disadvantage when it comes to attracting passive candidates, who are looking to be wowed by what they want to hear. Not just by what you want to tell them. Hence, why studies suggest several reasons to promote mindset in your job posts.

• Mindset, not skillset, drives behavior. Studies indicate that connecting with a candidate’s mindset leads to higher levels of motivation, engagement, and adaptability in the workplace
• Skill obsolescence and continuous learning make mindset all the more important. The increasingly rapid pace of technological change means specific skills can become outdated more quickly. A growth mindset, for example, has been shown to drive a desire for continuous learning and adaptation, making individuals more receptive to acquiring new skills and remaining valuable in the long-term
• Mindset enhances performance and sparks innovation: For example, candidates with a growth-oriented mindset are more likely to see challenges as opportunities for growth, embrace feedback, and persevere through obstacles, which leads to improved performance and fosters organizational innovation
• Mindset strengthens company culture. Individuals with a shared team /organizational mindset are often more collaborative and open to new ideas, contributing to a more positive and productive work environment
• Mindset enhances retention. Hiring individuals whose mindset aligns with the organizational culture and values has been shown to increase job satisfaction and reduce turnover, saving recruitment and training costs

This doesn’t mean abandoning skillset, of course. According to recruitment.com, the key is to recognize that mindset and skillset work best in synergy for successful hiring. With the ideal approach being to strike the right balance between the two. 

• A recent Leadership IQ study found that attitudes were the driver in 89% of hiring failures, while only 11% were driven by a lack of technical skills
• According to a recent LinkedIn study, 92% of hiring professionals believe soft skills are as important or more important than hard skills
• Companies with higher agility scores were shown to be nearly three times more likely to be in the top quartile of organizational health, a key predictor of long-term performance
• A recent LinkedIn article suggests that recruiters with a growth-oriented mindset are better equipped to navigate challenges, leverage AI tools, and maintain a human-centered approach

Simple steps to implementing a  mindset-focused hiring approach:

• Be sure your job posts emphasize mindset attributes like adaptability, curiosity, and resilience, using PowerPosts custom content to highlight the evolving nature of the role and the company’s value of growth and development
• Integrate PowerPosts psychometric assessment questions into the interview process to evaluate a candidate’s mindset, motivations, and competencies, suggests Arete Coach
• Utilize PowerPosts strategy and content as a basis for behavioral and situational interview questions that uncover a candidate’s approach to challenges and learning, as localworkforcehire.com.au suggests
• Assess a candidate’s adaptability by inquiring about their experiences with change and uncertainty
• Ensure the company culture values align with a growth-oriented mindset to create an environment conducive to continuous improvement, innovation, and a positive approach to challenges