Which People Top Companies Really Search

For what people do top companies really look? Which type of persons do top companies love to recruit? Regardless, if they are multinational players or small start-ups.

Countless tales and legends surround these questions. Recently, when chatting with business school students at an alumni meeting of my alma mater I was asked how best to enter a leading and admired company. How someone knows whether or not they are suited for a career in such a company. What do they need to know? What skills do they need to have?

If you have also wondered about how to join a great company and how to become and stay successful there, then continue reading and learn all about HPCDA people.

HPCDA People Are Desperately Wanted

No doubt, companies that lead or challenge with speed, growth, and innovation have something in common: a relentless and passionate focus on talent. They are very intentional and uncompromisingly about this. The executives who lead these companies have created high-performing organizations consisting of exceptional talents.

In this post I will not present an(other) exhaustive list of all the competency and skill requirements of a leader, or a pass and fail guide as to whether you are management material. This article is more fundamental. It′s about the personality base one should possess to be able building upon relevant skills and competencies to become and remain successful. At any company. At any point of time.

Whenever I interview applicants I review how well they might fit with the leadership principles and core competencies which we′re living with pride and dedication at our company.

Most people I′ve seen who over many years have constantly outgrown their peers and, even more importantly, themselves are what I call HPCDA persons:

Happy – Positive – Can Do Attitude people!

Being Happy

Being happy is an emotional state, an attitude and the result of something that has happened to someone. Happy people have a certain warmth and radiation of contentedness. Happy people and happy candidates follow a pro-active approach in crafting their own lives.

They do not wait until things come along or just happen to them. Instead they go for them and make them happen. They tend to spend a lot of time with family and friends, they are active and anchored in multiple areas of life (sports, culture, charity work, social life), they appreciate what they have, they live in the moment (carpe diem), and they enjoy life. Often, and that makes them so likeable, they are vocally self-critical and strive for a higher purpose in life without attempting being the center of it.

Being Positive

Happiness sparks positiveness. Positive people maintain an optimistic outlook. Even – and especially – in difficult situations. I dub them Realistic Optimists. They believe that they make things happen and that they will succeed. They have no doubt about it. Saying that, on the other hand, they perfectly know that in order of being successful they have to plan well, to access all necessary resources, to stay focused and persistent, to evaluate different options, and to execute in excellence.

Having done all of that, i.e. being well prepared and organized, such a state stimulates their confidence and as a result their optimism and maturity level. During the interview, during their career, and during their whole life.

Possessing A Can-Do-Attitude

Top companies are in search for talents who have a strong sense of ownership paired with an incisive bias for action. They love recruiting doers, makers, and shapers. People who think big, who act like they were to run their own company, who would never take a "no“ for a reason to stop and to give up. People who always look for solutions (instead of thinking in problems), who rely both on their analytical and creative skills, who take risks, and who are not afraid of failing (as it′s part of becoming successful),

People possessing a strong can-do-attitude have also learned how to handle set backs and how to cope with losing. They have trained themselves to quickly getting back on track again after difficult experiences and loses.

In psychology this characteristic is called resilience: An individual's tendency to cope with stress and adversity. This coping may result in the individual "bouncing back." Highly resilient and successful people consider setbacks as part of their lives, they are brave and still dare asking for help when needed, they take it easy, and have learned looking for themselves and others.

Final Thoughts

Working for a top company can be very exciting and rewarding. In many respects. However, reaching a challenging job and position there does not guarantee big bucks, a corner office, a PA, satisfaction, and fulfillment. The hours are often long, complexity is high, demands are countless, and the pressure rises with increased responsibilities and expectations.

Trying to work for a leading organization certainly is a great opportunity to build one′s career and future. Saying that, it might not be the right thing for everyone - Based on a person′s character, aspirations, and expectations. And that′s good as we are all different and unique. Diversity is key. There are countless other opportunities out there for everyone of us. We should look for the right working culture and environment. One which suits us.

HPCDA people have what it takes to be successful at any great organization in today′s quickly changing and demanding world. They are in high demand, since they excel in many areas of business and life. Based on such an attitude they can acquire multiple skills to succeed and to assist others in succeeding.

What do you think? Please join the discussion by leaving a comment below.

Best regards,

Andreas von der Heydt

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Andreas von der Heydt is the Head of Kindle Content at Amazon in Germany. Before that he hold various senior management positions at Amazon and L'Oréal. He's a leadership expert and management coach. He also founded Consumer Goods Club. Andreas worked and lived in Europe, Australia, the U.S. and Asia.

Please click 'Follow' if you would like to hear more from Andreas in the future. Feel free to also connect via his Linkedin Group Coaching or Consumer Goods, or via Twitter and Facebook.

Other recent and popular posts by Andreas von der Heydt:
How To Lead With The Head And The Heart
Attention – The Fish Philosophy Is Still Alive
Leadership Today – The Horse Is NOT Here To Stay
Winning With Engaged Teams
How To Build Relationships Of Trust
The 17 Qualities And Views Of Great Leaders

photo: istock.com