Hiring the right people is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make as a business owner. A great team isn’t just about skills and experience—it’s about finding employees who fit your company’s mission and culture. As a certified coach of the Small Business Flight Plan, we can help your business build high-performing teams by focusing on key characteristics.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through why key characteristics matter, how to identify them, and how to integrate them into your hiring process.
Why Hiring Based on Skills Alone Is a Mistake
Many businesses prioritize skills and experience when hiring, but that approach has its limits.
Here’s why:
❌ Skills can be taught, but attitude and values can’t. You can train someone on new software or procedures, but you can’t train them to care about your mission.
❌ A bad cultural fit leads to high turnover. If an employee doesn’t align with your company’s values and way of working, they’re more likely to disengage or leave.
❌ Experience doesn’t guarantee performance. A candidate might have years of experience but lack the adaptability, teamwork, or problem-solving skills needed to succeed in your specific environment.
The best employees are those who not only have the right skills but also share your company’s mindset, values, and work ethic. That’s where key characteristics come in.
What Are Key Characteristics, and Why Do They Matter?
Key characteristics are the core traits, values, and behaviors that define the ideal employees for your business. These characteristics shape your company culture, influence decision-making, and help create a team that works well together.
Every business is different, which means your key characteristics should be tailored to your company’s mission and goals.
When you define key characteristics for your team, you:
- Ensure consistency in hiring – making it easier to find the right people.
- Create a strong company culture – fostering teamwork, accountability, and shared purpose.
- Improve employee retention – because new hires align with the way your business operates.
Simply put, hiring based on key characteristics helps you build a team that actively contributes to your success.
How to Identify the Key Characteristics Your Business Needs
Every business has a unique mission, culture, and work environment. To determine the key characteristics for your team, follow these three steps:
Step 1: Define Your Business’s Mission and Goals
Your company’s mission and objectives should drive your hiring decisions. Ask yourself:
- What are we trying to accomplish as a business?
- What kind of people will help us get there?
For example:
- A marketing agency that helps small businesses grow needs employees who are creative problem-solvers, strategic thinkers, and customer-focused.
- A construction company needs team members who are reliable, disciplined, and committed to safety.
The right characteristics depend on what your business stands for and where you’re headed.
Step 2: Consider the Workplace Environment
Think about the culture and daily work environment in your company:
- Is your business fast-paced and constantly evolving? You need adaptable, quick learners.
- Do you have a structured, process-driven operation? You need detail-oriented, disciplined employees.
- Do employees need to work independently? Look for self-starters who take initiative.
Matching key characteristics to your work environment ensures new hires will thrive in their roles.
Step 3: Look at Your Best Employees
Your top performers are a great source of insight. Analyze what makes them successful:
- What personal qualities set them apart?
- How do they contribute beyond their job descriptions?
- What attitudes and work habits make them effective?
If you can identify common traits among your best employees, you can look for those same characteristics in new hires.
Examples of Key Characteristics for Different Businesses
To give you a better idea, here are some examples of key characteristics based on different industries:
🔹 For a Marketing Agency:
✔ Creative problem-solver
✔ Strong communication skills
✔ Results-driven mindset
🔹 For a Restaurant:
✔ Customer-focused
✔ High energy and teamwork-oriented
✔ Attention to detail
🔹 For a Construction Company:
✔ Reliability and dependability
✔ Strong work ethic
✔ Commitment to safety
These characteristics go beyond technical skills—they define the type of person who will succeed in your company.
How Key Characteristics Improve Hiring and Retention
When you focus on hiring for key characteristics, your business benefits in several ways:
✅ Faster hiring decisions: You can quickly identify who is a good fit.
✅ Lower turnover: Employees who align with your mission and culture are more likely to stay.
✅ Stronger teamwork: When everyone shares the same values, collaboration improves.
✅ Better customer experience: Employees who fit the culture naturally reflect your brand’s values.
Defining key characteristics ensures that every hire strengthens your company, rather than just filling a position.
How to Use Key Characteristics in Your Hiring Process
Once you’ve defined your key characteristics, apply them throughout your hiring process:
🔹 In Job Descriptions:
• Instead of only listing technical skills, highlight key characteristics.
• Example: “We’re looking for a results-driven team player who thrives in a fast-paced environment.”
🔹 In Interviews:
• Ask behavioral questions to assess if candidates embody these traits.
• Example: “Tell me about a time you had to adapt quickly to a new challenge. How did you handle it?”
🔹 In Performance Reviews:
• Reinforce key characteristics as part of employee evaluations.
• Example: “How have you demonstrated a customer-focused mindset in the past six months?”
Hiring the right people starts with clear expectations—and key characteristics make those expectations easy to define.
Conclusion: Build a Team That Drives Your Business Forward
Hiring isn’t just about finding people who can do the job—it’s about finding the right people who fit your business.
By defining and hiring based on key characteristics, you will:
✔ Attract employees who align with your mission.
✔ Build a strong, unified company culture.
✔ Improve employee retention and performance.
The right team is the foundation of your success. When you hire with intention, you create a business that thrives.
Need Help Defining Key Characteristics for Your Hiring Process?
If you’re unsure how to define the right key characteristics for your team, we can help.
🚀 Schedule a call today, and we’ll guide you through creating a hiring strategy that ensures you attract and retain the best employees for your business.
