When it comes to hiring the right person for the job, HubSpot’s Chief Product Officer David Cancel has devised a way to evaluate a candidate’s intangible attributes. While the concept seemed unusual at first, it soon converted others — and now he’s not the only one in the company who’s made the departure from traditional tests, questionnaires, and brainteasers.
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According to Fast Company, Cancel wants to go beyond what’s on paper to draw out an individual’s character in order to see if they’d be a good culture fit. Taking note of whether or not the person throws away their trash after an interview or gauging facial expressions while discussing their passions are just a couple ways of he identifies these qualities.
Not only do these subtle cues help Cancel find the right person for the position, they help him find the right person for his team. By doing things like leaving the interview room door slightly open to see measure an individual’s assertiveness, he can tell if a potential hire has “HEART,” an acronym that stands for Humble, Effective, Adaptable, Remarkable, and Transparent.
HubSpot’s 85 percent retention rate is just one indicator that Cancel is on to something. The significance of this accomplishment is even more impressive when you take into consideration Facebook and Google are among their top competitors.
So the next time you go in for an interview, be aware of how you’re physically communicating and interacting throughout the process. Be passionate, use positive body language, and for goodness’ sake, throw out your trash. It just might pay off.
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