Here’s a hard truth I’ve learned after years of connecting talent with great companies:

The candidate who checks every box on paper isn’t always your top performer.

I see it constantly — interviewers who just zero in on industry experience, familiar terminology, and a résumé that mirrors the job description. I had one client hire a candidate solely because they used the same computer program used at the hiring company. One criteria for this selection. I understand their thinking. Less training time. Faster ramp-up.

But here’s what that thinking costs you: the exceptional people – top performers.

Skills can be taught. Industry jargon can be learned in weeks. What cannot be trained is character.

The drive that pushes someone past obstacles. The accountability that never makes excuses. The curiosity that doesn’t wait to be told what to do. The resilience that bounces back harder. The coachability that turns feedback into fuel. The emotional intelligence that allows for good relations with even the most difficult client.

Those are some of the traits of a top performer — and no onboarding program in the world can install them.

Before your next round of interviews, ask yourself: Do my interviewers, or do I, for that matter, actually know what the attributes of a top performer are? Can they spot grit in a 30-minute conversation? Do they know the questions that reveal character under pressure?

If your interviewers are only screening for technical fit, you’re leaving your best hires on the table.

1. Train your interviewers to identify top performer traits.
2. Build an interview process that surfaces character, not just credentials.
3. Hire the person who may not have the experience, but displays top performer qualities — then build the skill set. Top performers tend to be successful wherever they go!

Your organization doesn’t just need someone who can do the job on day one. It needs the person who will own the role, add value to it beyond what the job description details, grow beyond it, and elevate everyone around them.

That person is worth finding.

What character traits do you look for when hiring? Drop them in the comments — I’d love to hear what separates good from great in your experience.

This is a contributed blog post written by Debra J. Parent, PHR, SHRM-CP, CHHR, owner of Right Fit Recruiting. Are you interested in contributing a guest blog post? Fill out our contact form.