Because great talent doesn’t look like Waldo, here is how to spot great great supply chain talent.

Wouldn’t it be nice if great talent looked like Waldo?

If great talent looked like Waldo we could simply look at the pool of candidates and be able to identify them by their telltale red and white striped shirt.

Unfortunately, great talent doesn’t show itself like our friend Waldo.  Given this, how can the supply chain industry spot great talent?

Smart companies realize that it is not the skills the candidate possesses today, but rather the candidate’s personality.  This may seem counterintuitive, but consider this – skills can be taught, personality cannot.

Here are five traits that great employees share.  When making your next hire look for candidates who possess these traits.

Smart – Smart doesn’t necessarily mean a high IQ.  Rather it means having good judgment, being quick to comprehend, and having the faculty of reasoning and understanding.

Ambitious – Ambition drives innovation and productivity.  An ambitious individual has high expectations for themselves and for their career.  Their drive to succeed will positively impact your company.

Honest – Integrity is everything.

Gracious – A person who is able to admit failure, thank others, and able give credit where it is due will prove to be an indispensable member of your team.

Exceptional communication skills – Communication is the basis of success.

In addition to looking for these traits, also consider whether or not the individual is a good match with your company’s culture.

You can’t train personality

In the end, it is important to remember that you can train an individual to perform the tasks needed for the job, but you can’t change (or train) personality.  Be flexible when it comes to specific job requirements, but be rigid when it comes to personality traits.