Work ethic is one of the most important qualities to look for in a team member. It reflects how committed, reliable, and productive they are, as well as how they handle challenges, feedback, and collaboration. But how can you assess a candidate's work ethic for team culture during the hiring process? Here are some of the best ways to do it.
Behavioral questions are designed to uncover how a candidate has demonstrated their work ethic in the past. These types of questions can reveal how they set goals, prioritize tasks, manage time, overcome obstacles, learn from mistakes, and work with others. For instance, you could ask a candidate to tell you about a time when they had to meet a tight deadline and explain how they planned and executed their work. You could also ask them to describe a situation when they had to deal with a difficult client or colleague and explain how they handled it and what the outcome was. Additionally, you could ask them how they approach feedback and criticism, and provide an example of how they used feedback to improve their performance or skills. Finally, you could ask them about how they balance competing demands and expectations from different stakeholders, as well as how they communicate and negotiate their priorities.
Go for more storytelling instead of what-if or example scenarios. Have a candidate open up and present their best and worst experiences. Let the stories unfold while you assess the plot and all its details. Do they present something with pride or humility? Was it an I-and-me story? Or was it an us-and-we? Was there more ownership or blame? We all have stories to tell. What stories we choose to tell, and how we tell them, reflects our innermost being.
Work samples and tests are a great way to assess a candidate's work ethic for team culture. They can measure how well they perform relevant tasks, solve problems, and apply their knowledge and skills, as well as demonstrate how they cope with pressure, ambiguity, and complexity. For instance, you could ask them to present their analysis, recommendations, or solutions in writing or verbally for a case study or scenario that simulates a real-world challenge or project. Alternatively, you could administer and score a skills test or assessment to evaluate their proficiency in a specific area such as coding, writing, or design. Additionally, you could review their portfolio of previous work which can showcase their achievements, creativity, and quality. Asking them to explain their process, challenges, and results is also beneficial.
Involving the candidate in a hands-on team task is one of the best ways to know about their work ethic. Using a task-based testing approach can help in smoother evaluation and also communicates what is expected out of the candidate. Thanks for sharing the article.
References and reviews are another source of information about a candidate's work ethic for team culture. You can conduct a reference check or phone call to a former employer, manager, or colleague who can vouch for the candidate's work ethic, performance, and behavior. Additionally, you can review ratings the candidate has received from clients, customers, or peers on platforms such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Upwork. This can provide feedback and insights from people who have worked with or supervised the candidate in the past and verify or contradict the claims and impressions they have made during the interview. Examining these references and reviews can help you look for patterns, trends, and testimonials that indicate the candidate's work ethic, reputation, and satisfaction.
Attitude and actions are the final indicators of a candidate's work ethic for team culture, as they can show how enthusiastic, professional, and respectful they are, as well as how they fit with your values and vision. Throughout the hiring process, from the initial contact to the final offer, you can observe their attitude and actions in various ways. For example, their communication style and frequency can reveal how promptly, clearly, and politely they respond to your messages, calls, or emails. You can also see how much research and effort they put into preparing for the interview, work sample, or test and how actively and confidently they engage with you and the team. Additionally, their follow-up and feedback can show how they express their interest and appreciation after the interview, work sample, or test. It is also important to note how they handle rejection or acceptance and how they ask for or give feedback.
Think of hiring like assembling a team of superheroes. To gauge work ethic, ask candidates to describe their workday as if it were an epic comic book. Do they narrate it with enthusiasm, detailing how they conquered deadlines and vanquished procrastination villains? Or does it sound more like a sidekick's tale of snoozing through the action? Look for the candidates who radiate dedication and passion in their storytelling – they're your work ethic superheroes!
Often the work ethic of the organization is whether the workforce feels that they are performing to meet customer needs and their long-term careers vs. short-term shareholder dividends.