Five values CMI/Glassdoor top 20 companies want in new recruits

31 January 2019 -

These are the values top companies look for when hiring

Jermaine Haughton

According to the Professional Manager reader survey of 2018, staff recruitment and retention is a top priority for managers. Here, experts from the CMI/Glassdoor Top 20 – the highest-scoring UK companies for working culture and leadership – share the qualities they look for in new hires.

THE FIVE VALUES TOP COMPANIES LOOK FOR WHEN HIRING

1. NEW HIRES SHOULD VALUE COMMUNITY SPIRIT

Inspired by the Hawaiian ‘Ohana’ culture, Salesforce hires employees with a strong ethic for care and cooperation, because it knows that teamwork is at the core of its success.

Andrew Lawson, executive vice president and general manager for the UK and Ireland at Salesforce says: “When our CEO (Marc Benioff) founded Salesforce, he felt this attitude and approach was lacking in corporate culture. He believed that if businesses put more emphasis on caring and cooperating, truly amazing things could happen in our workplaces.”

To find the right candidates Salesforce has to be pro-active and approach people with the desired skills and personality. “Most of our hiring is done through two sources – employee referrals and through our recruiter outreach,” says Lawson.

Cultural fit is crucial so Salesforce encourages potential recruits to read Glassdoor reviews to get a sense of the company’s culture before they apply.

2. NEW HIRES SHOULD GENUINELY CARE

Individuals who are willing to go the extra mile when helping colleagues, customers and clients are top of the list for recruitment firm Goodman Masson.

The London-based recruitment agency looks for candidates it can trust to communicate and help their peers.

A Goodman Masson spokesperson explains: “We look to work with people who care. Our belief is that if you care then you do not want to let anyone down – yourself, your clients and your colleagues.”

3. NEW HIRES SHOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY

Hiscox is on the lookout for cognitive diversity. “We look to bring diverse thinking to the business – it’s about challenging yourself to hire someone better than you, even if they’re not like you,” says group HR director Amanda Brown.

To find the different perspectives it needs, Hiscox recruits people from different backgrounds – and acknowledges that previous experience in the insurance industry isn’t essential. “People have joined us from all walks of life because we saw the chance to unlock real potential and we took a bet on them,” says Brown. “We believe that you can teach anyone about insurance, but you can’t teach them to go the extra mile for the customer.”

Read more: Why cognitive diversity is the latest issue preoccupying hiring managers

4. NEW HIRES SHOULD BE GO-GETTERS

Auto Trader looks for ‘go-getters’ and wants its applicants to have practical skills. Aspiring developers and designers undergo interviews that allow them to show off their technical and design abilities.

Employer brand manager Jane Fitzmaurice explains: “We understand that everyone is an individual and our assessments are designed to give candidates the chance to be themselves, while showing us their skills and experience. We set a number of tasks to understand whether our way of working is the right fit for them. In return, we’ll give candidates the opportunity to meet our colleagues and gain a genuine understanding of a typical day at Auto Trader.”

5. NEW HIRES MUST HAVE A PASSION FOR THEIR WORK

Audio branding consultancy PHMG specifically seeks employees who ‘live and breathe’ their field of expertise, believing it boosts staff happiness, performance and retention.

Managing director Grant Reed says: “It really does come down to passion. If we see an individual who demonstrates a real love, commitment and dedication to their field, we know they have the ability to thrive at PHMG.”

Hiring managers look for two hallmarks of passion – ambition and a desire to continuously improve.

More insight from the CMI/Glassdoor Top 20 is available here

Image: Shutterstock