A recent LinkedIn study focusing on key hiring traits found that 74% of talent professionals agree adaptability is crucial trait in a hire and “very important to the future of recruiting”1. This makes sense as adaptability allows employees to adapt to new technology, assume multiple roles in a startup/small business, and overcome unforeseen challenges.
Technology continues to develop at an ever-increasing rate, and many believe we are on the cusp of the next great leap: AI2. To correctly implement new technology a company must adapt, and to do this they need adaptable employees.
Small businesses and startups not only value adaptability, but also rely on it. This is because their employees need to perform tasks that they may not have experience in. The ability to adapt and learn will allow these employees to better succeed within their new role.
Volatility and change seem to be the only constant today, and with the COVID 19 crisis and looming technological revolution, the ability for your business to adapt and stay competitive is more of an imperative than ever.
Knowing the importance for adaptability is great, but how does one identify an adaptable candidate? Here is a list of five key traits that signal adaptability:
- What was the biggest change you had to undertake in your professional career, what is your opinion on this?
- Describe a new strategy or technology you adopted at work, what changes did it make and what caused you to adopt it?
- Describe a time you had to either edit or rework a colleague’s work, what did you learn from this?
- Describe a time you were asked to do a new task that you had no experience in, how did it go, and what did you learn?
- Retell a time in which you were assigned a task outside of your job description or expertise, what was the outcome?
