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Work Ethic
Work ethic: proactively pursuing the company mission with a high degree of
energy and daily activity.
Work ethic is probably one of the most difficult characteristics to evaluate. These
are the three techniques I used to gain insight into each candidate's work ethic:
1. Observations during the interview process: A lot can be learned by simply
observing a candidate's mannerisms and behaviors during the interview
process. This is especially true for assessing work ethic. How quickly did she
return phone calls? How quickly did she turn around deliverables (such as
her resume, her assessments, or her feedback from the interview)? Did she
push the pace of the interview process or were we pushing her? All of these
observations provide insights into the candidate's work ethic.
2. Reference checks: Conversations with former supervisors or peers represent
opportunities to assess the candidate's work ethic. Don't ask, “Did the
candidate work hard?” Instead, ask the following questions: “Here are four
characteristics that may describe a candidate: coachability, curiosity,
intelligence, and work ethic. Could you please rank those characteristics
from strongest to weakest for this candidate? Why did you rank these
characteristics in the order you did?”
3. Behavioral questions: I often used behavioral questioning to explore the
level of rigor with which the candidate approached her responsibilities— for
example, “Please tell me about your typical work day or work week. What
are some of your must-do activities?”
Work ethic: proactively pursuing the company mission with a high degree of
energy and daily activity.
To Recap
Every buyer context should have a unique sales hiring formula. For
HubSpot's buyer context, there were five criteria that correlated most
strongly with sales success. These criteria are probably components of your
ideal hiring formula, especially if you are operating in a rapidly evolving
market. The five criteria are:
1. Coachability: The ability to absorb and apply coaching.
