3 C’s of Recruiting: Character, Competence & Chemistry

Once you’ve decided to recruit and hire someone new into your organization – whether you’re replacing someone who left or you’re hiring for a new position – do you really know what you’re looking for? Have you identified what type of background the ideal candidate should have? How will you determine if they are a good fit? What if the candidate doesn’t align with your company values? 

You’ll need to identify three primary attributes, or what I call the 3 C’s, in the candidates. The C’s stand for character, competence, and chemistry. I will define each of them in order of importance. 

Character

The first and most important C is character. Does the candidate have a proven track record of dependability, responsibility, and accountability? Are they conscientious, meaning: do they look at their work with a sense of duty and perform their job with a high level of thoroughness? Character issues have a slow, gnawing effect on the team that surrounds them. First a person is late. Soon they’re missing deadlines. Then they’re blaming others. Character is the priority. Do not move along to the next attribute if this one shows flaws.

Competence

The second C is competence. Does the candidate have the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the job? Let’s define what each means. 

• Knowledge is the theoretical understanding of the job. Think of this as the textbook version of the job. For example, a master electrician should understand the science behind working with electrical currents to wire a home. 
• Skills is the practical application of the knowledge. Using the electrician example, are they able to use their knowledge to wire lighting throughout a home? 
• Abilities are the quality of being able to do something. Does the electrician have the cognitive ability to understand electrical, the physical ability to wire a home, and the interpersonal ability to communicate it with a customer?

Chemistry

The third and final C is chemistry. How will the candidate fit in with company culture? Do they share the same values? Would they work well with your team? After meeting them for the first time, would you be willing to spend eight hours a day working alongside them?

Think about people you have hired in the past who perhaps had the competence to do the job, but not the character or chemistry for your organization. Didn’t work out too well, did it?

Keep the three C’s in mind when interviewing candidates for your open positions. You’ll find it very helpful in making the right choice and minimizing the risk of a bad hire. Click on the link below to download a copy of the 3 C’s and their corresponding definitions. 

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