Resist the temptation, don’t hire a brilliant jerk.
Like the case of the ex, you will see the signs from early on. Most recruiters see these signs and choose to ignore them. Are brilliant jerks so good that they hack their way through job interviews? No. In most cases, employers simply let their guard down in complacence or desperation.
As you set out to establish success for your company, it’s perhaps time to consider the kind of staff you hire. In as much as engineers might be talented, there’s the vital question of reliability, consistency and dependability that should always be the driving course. Hiring a brilliant jerk comes with enough shares of unprecedented huddles. At such, you’re best advised to take your time grilling them and not to compromise with them.
In order to hire an employee that will take your company to the next level, you should consider the following aspects.
Employee’s history with other companies
Find out about the track record from the previous companies. It comes as no surprise to find a jerk that may have worked for several companies. Some have the tendency of jumping from one job to the other. You shouldn’t be hoodwinked by personal attributes rather than their overall productivity. Find out more about their experience in the other job or jobs in order to establish if they are more likely to help your company. Too many job changes for an employee may kill their resilience, making them less productive.
Relationship with other workers
A good employee should work well with the rest of the team. Jerks in tech, however brilliant, need to work well with others. If they give you trouble then you should consider termination if they don’t show signs of changing. Let the employee stick to company policies and use the accepted measures in place. Aptly put, a good employee shouldn’t cut corners. Most importantly, they should accept divergent views and ideas and not just be rigid to new ideas. An employee who buys others’ ideas is on a path of becoming even much better.
Don’t be fooled by exceptional talents!
You shouldn’t let the employee’s skills and genius to blind you. If you find a flaw ensure you troubleshoot it as soon as you can. Avoid the notion that good workers are hard to come by. In fact, brilliant jerks rarely become brilliant. They can be such a burden on you and your company. They often stand in the way of company success and growth. Avoid any engineer who’s just too difficult to work with. They will eventually prove to be detrimental to the company. Sometimes, talent isn’t everything you need in a good employee.
Top talent or not, take them through a rigorous interview and reference checks
Hiring is a costly process, and you may be tempted to cut corners when you think someone is top-notch. But the risk isn’t worth it. According to Work Institute, losing an employee costs 33% of their salary.
Let the resume give you hints
The resume says it all about you. While hiring, don’t just overlook the resume. It says a lot about the interviewee. If they have a record of shifting from one job to another don’t have an impression that they will stick with your company. Most people who jump from one job to the other have a problem of accommodating others or accepting new and divergent opinion. Do not hire someone with the bad history of changing jobs so often. Such employees are like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off!
Conclusion
As you set out to hire and maintain high profile employees, you should probably consider hiring staff that will take your company a notch higher. You shouldn’t be blind to some of the flaws glaring at you. With the right employees for your company, you’ll always find it easy to operate and come up with new inventions for the sake of the company and its success. Have your brilliant jerk under the control for even much more improved productivity!
On the flip side, if you have top talent that are performing great and work well with the team. Here are key warning signs that your top talent is out the door.