Skills AND attitude

23 June 2011



Mind-set is crucial for success, says Dani Novick, MD of print and packaging specialist Mercury Search and Selection.


I have just finished reading an article headlined ‘Attitude is worth more than skills’. While the catchy headline is patently rubbish – I’d rather my surgeon was skilled than keen – there is clearly more to successful recruitment than buying a skill-set.

Thankfully, the article, which was plugging a new book and assessment tool, did identify that skills were still important and that attitude, or ‘mind-set’, as they call it, is a key additional factor.

Of course, skills and knowledge are important particularly in a technically biased sector, but mind-set is crucial for success and future prospects, and here is why.

Skills are clearly an important measure of someone’s ability in a particular area. However, as technology and knowledge evolve, today’s skills become out-dated; so any skill-set has a shelf life.

Further, in most roles skills become commoditised.

Inevitably, well-known concepts are often dressed up in new jargon so let’s get back to basics. I’ve already made clear that it is vital to maintain currency if not leadership in your skills and knowledge; so there is a start.

In our experience, the people who are doing this are the driven, self-starters who aren’t waiting for someone else to hand it to them on a plate; they have determination and resilience.

Many of the other aspects of attitude or mind-set fall into what has long been described as soft skills. Factors include, being open to new ideas and criticism, thinking of wider implications before making decisions, considering others’ views, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with others at all levels, inspiring respect and respecting others.

Mercury Search and Selection partners the IOP: The Packaging Society with www.packaging futures.com and the British Printing Industries Federation with www.jobsinprint.com.


Dani Novick. Dani Novick

Dani Novick Dani Novick


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