Recruitment businesses could find the start of 2023 with vacant positions on their own teams that need to be filled as consultants leave to pursue new career opportunities.

According to workplace personality assessment and leadership consultants Hogan Assessments, recruitment and HR professionals make common mistakes by looking for ‘clones’ and ‘superstars’, and ignoring the need to determine if the candidate has three imperative skills.

Tip 1: Staying away from the clone myth

When recruiting to replace a valued teammate, even recruitment professionals can find themselves struggling with two avenues of thought: choose someone identical to the individual who left or opt for a candidate opposite to them. Personality is a key component of both approaches.

“By looking for an exact carbon copy of the staff member that left, employers limit not only the potential of their team, but also their entire company. Searching for role replacements based on underlying characteristics eliminates the most changeable variables and focuses on personality, which tends to remain static,” explained Dr Ryne Sherman, chief science officer at Hogan Assessments.

For a successful replacement hire, first analyse the traits a candidate needs to perform the role at a high level, then narrow down that list to a selection of three required characteristics and several good-to-have additional attributes. Basing selection decisions on who possesses the highest number of necessary qualities to succeed within the role will help you avoid falling into the clone trap, and aid the growth of the organisation.

Tip 2: Resisting the superstar (top biller) spell

A superstar is a top performer within a team or a company. When looking to recruit, an employer's first instinct will likely be to find the most qualified and accomplished candidate out of the pile and offer them the job. Be careful, as this approach may be detrimental to the team this superstar is entering as their presence can hinder team performance.

The superstar effect is a counterintuitive phenomenon. When the skill gap is too great, others can feel fearful, intimidated, inferior or defeated. The superstar effect could bring out employees’ insecurities, resulting in them looking for other ways to get ahead.

Superstars can add incredible value to a team, but be smart about when you take them on and how they work within a team. For organisations to successfully integrate superstars such as top billers into teams, defining competition is key. Redirect the superstar’s competitive nature and channel it towards something that benefits the company as a whole and its reputation without alienating their other team members.

Tip 3: Seek out crucial skills during employee selection

Although every individual will possess their own unique strengths, there are still crucial skill areas that a winning candidate should bring to the table. The three universal competencies that should lead an employee-selection process are people skills, learning skills, and work ethic. Pursuing candidates with these competencies will strengthen any organisation and guard against hiring employees with poor problem-solving, self-management, and interpersonal skills.

Finding employees who get along well with other team members, display a high degree of inquisitiveness and a propensity for learning, and are self-motivated with a strong work ethic is key when filling a vacancy within a team. These traits are the foundation of any strong hire and are often overlooked during the interview process.

Sherman suggested: “Understanding where each candidate stands in terms of personality can help employers make the best hiring decisions possible, while also anticipating any areas that might require special attention or training.”

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