Alphabet Hiring: "A" Players vs "B" Players, forget "C and D"

After reading the article below, I could only agree. Of course companies want to hire great people, and they do have a key set of attributes that they look for.

But how do they really go about finding these A Players?
They sure don't ask you in an interview, "Are you a self-disciplined, champion with foresight, and a drive to compete, who operates at high integrity?"

The A-player college screen starts before the interview, way before, as in what is your GPA, SAT score, leadership participation on campus, and the pedigree of your degree and college? The last one is the biggie. And, how much work experience do you have in your chosen field, as in years not days or months. Seriously, the degree alone won't do it. That's for new grads.

If you are a seasoned professional as an A-player, you will need to be employed (not self-employed or unemployed), in an identical position and equivalent level to the company's opening. You will be working already in the company's business domain or industrial sector. Finally, do not be looking for a job, as they do want to find you.

How to they screen for the characteristics below? Well if they are smart hiring companies they will do 3 things to all hires: new grads to experienced executives.

1. First they will give interview candidates behavioral tests during the hiring process as those are tough to bluff. I like the GRI (in fact my hands down favorite. It is amazing) by Growth Resources Inc.
   
2. Secondly, they will use Behavioral Interviewing questions to "probe" for those characteristics by having you tell them work experience stories that demonstrate those characteristics... practice this a lot and you can ace it.
   
3. Third, they will look at your reputation online on multiple social profiles, your blog and website. They want to read your views, opinions, and see your professional participation in your field as in conferences, articles, interviews, slidedecks,  white papers, and publications.

Notice that now Linkedin encourages you to post docs, slides, videos and audios on your profile? That's because it differentiates you far better than any key-word search. What better way to actually demonstrate your ability to think ahead, show drive and zeal, and champions mind-set?  "A" Players can go unrecognized unless they promote themselves through tangible online assets.

Forbes Magazine: The Five Characteristics Of An 'A' Player            

For many startups, hiring the best and the brightest is not an option — it’s an absolute necessity. You’ve probably heard this sage, albeit generic advice before: “Only hire ‘A’ players.” Of course! Who doesn’t want “A” players? Who doesn’t want people who have the talent, skills and drive to make a company successful?

But the real question is: Can you recognize a top performer when you meet him? We all like to think we can, but even the best can overlook real talent. Think back to Facebook and Twitter. Both companies failed to hire Brian Acton, cofounder of WhatsApp, which was recently acquired by Facebook for $19 billion.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO, shows off the new messaging system in Facebook. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Simply put, “A” players are great competitors. Avoid overlooking one in your midst by understanding these five characteristics:

1. A desire to compete. “A” players skip excuses. Their drive to compete leaves no time for excuses when pursuing various strategies to win. Plus, they love to compete. It’s in their blood. They put themselves on the line and take responsibility for their performance. Not everyone has this desire to compete; in fact, some people prefer working for companies that have already won. This doesn’t make for a great cultural fit at a startup.
2. A champion’s mindset. A top performer will have unwavering faith in your company’s ability to achieve. A champion’s mindset includes the belief that winning is inevitable, not a remote possibility. This speaks to a level of mental toughness and passion about a business. Those who can internalize a company’s mission and goals are more likely to make valuable contributions to the business.
3. Self-discipline. A startup’s environment is always changing because it is growing so fast or quickly pivoting to survive. With so much in flux, an employee needs to have self-discipline and confidence in their ability to endure failure, recover from it, and persevere. Because they are self-starters, “A” players are able to motivate themselves and know how to focus, prioritize and re-prioritize as needed. These folks have a self-imposed regimen that helps them thrive at what they do best.
4. Integrity. This should go without saying. One shouldn’t pursue to win at all costs. If you lack integrity, there is a cost to winning. A competitor today could be a great partner tomorrow. How you treat the customers who use your product or service, how you collaborate with others, and how you choose to follow through on your word can make you or break you in the long run. “A” players have enough fortitude and potential to endure what it takes to learn the game, master the game and play by the rules. Compromising one’s integrity reflects poorly on the company, and is simply bad form.
5. Think ahead, anticipate, and act. By understanding what to expect in each situation, great competitors know how to best position themselves see opportunities developing ahead of time. They anticipate what’s coming so they can adequately prepare. Moreover, they have an innate sense of urgency to move quickly. Procrastination is not an option.

No matter what role you’re looking to hire for, start with these five characteristics. Look for people who will have the confidence to wear many hats, the capacity to take on more than an average person can handle, the natural inclination to take initiative, and the ability to grow with your business.

What characteristics have you found in your best hires?

Mary Ray is the co-founder of MyHealthTeams, which just closed a Series A round. She is always on the lookout for A-players. She drives the product vision and product development of all the MyHealthTeams’ web and mobile applications, oversees marketing, UX, design.

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

Read article here

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