You have likely lived the reality yourself. You have been hired and/or have hired based on the experience to do the job well only to find you made a mistake. The mistake is decisions that are made on paper rather than people.
Paper = resume, job description, private placement memorandum (PPM), business plan, marketing materials, website…you get the idea.
People = values, culture, mission, purpose, excitement, challenge, goals, pride, passion, communication style, dedication, emotion…you get the idea.
Paper generally leads a process with good intention. During an interview process, paper lists a wish list of hard skills required to be successful. Paper is a great screening tool to initiate interest so the product must be well thought out.
People evaluate soft skills and determine if there is a fit on shared mission, etc.
Somewhere between paper and people we see a disconnect often enough to make a difference. At stake is the difference between being unhappy and happy at work. The gap is where people get lazy in due diligence and time. Unless you are hiring a resume or accepting a job description, it is time to get to know the person. Don’t be afraid to ask the question and take the time to learn about character, goals and hop out of bed Monday morning passion. Take time and trust your instincts. Talk about those instincts openly – seriously. Everyone will see the difference six months after a new hire. Not happy versus happy = Hard versus soft skills.
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