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Hiring Stars

Hiring stars is crucial to superior success and happiness. I hire for character first, energy second and competencies/results third, only after the first two categories are assured.

Following are character strengths and a five-question "results" interview guide I recommend you consider when hiring.

Look for other ideas and models on our web site toward optimizing your success and happiness.

Vance Caesar Ph.D.

Hire Right

Most Senior Leaders have found that hiring the right talent is their most significant responsibility. To do that, many hire for character first, energy second and competencies third. What competencies

The proven competencies that create the results that they want to pay for during the next phase

The biggest question is: How do you hire for character? Below are the character strengths we suggest you consider:

  1. Zest: approaching life with excitement and energy; feeling alive and activated
  2. Self-control: regulating what one believes, feels and does; being self-disciplined
  3. Social intelligence: being aware of motives and feelings of other people and oneself
  4. Gratitude: being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen
  5. Love: valuing close relationships with others; being close to people
  6. Hope: expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it
  7. Humor: liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people; seeing a light side
  8. Creativity: coming up with new and productive ways to think about and do things
  9. Curiosity: taking an interest in experience for its own sake; finding things fascinating
  10. Open-mindedness: examining things for all sides and not jumping to conclusions
  11. Love of learning: mastering new skills and topics on one’s own or in school
  12. Wisdom: being able to provide good advice to others
  13. Bravery: not running from threat, challenge, or pain; speaking up for what’s right
  14. Integrity: speaking the whole truth and presenting oneself sincerely, genuinely and transparently
  15. Kindness: doing favors and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them and thyself
  16. Citizenship: working well as a member of a group or team; being loyal to the group
  17. Fairness: treating all people the same; giving everyone a fair chance
  18. Leadership: earning follower-ship that delivers the expected results
  19. Forgiveness: forgiving those who’ve done wrong’ accepting people’s shortcomings
  20. Modesty: letting one’s victories speak for themselves; not seeking the spotlights
  21. Prudence/Discretion: being careful about one’s choices; not taking undue risks
  22. Appreciation of beauty: noticing and appreciating all kinds of beauty and excellence
  23. Spirituality: having beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe
  24. Respect: honoring one’s word and journey as one honor’s the word and journey in all …. while honoring all that is
  25. Grit: finishing what one starts; completing something despite obstacles; a combination of persistence and resilience

*Adopted from Chris Peterson and Martin Seligman’s book "Character Strengths and Virtues"

A Results Based Interview Guide

  1. Why have you been working the past/”five” years?
  2. What results/strengths have you demonstrated?
  3. What weaknesses and areas of low engagement have you demonstrated and how have you shored yourself up?
  4. What set backs have you experienced and what have you learned from each?
  5. When I talk with the five people who knew you best the past “five” years, how will they answer questions 1-4?

Reference: “Who: The A Method for Hiring” by Geoff Smart and Randy Street, September 2008

Source: The Vance Caesar Group 2016

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