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What do I look for in potential colleagues?

Hiring talent for performance marketing

Richard Golian10 August 2024 · 2 539 reads

Hi, I am Richard. On this blog, I share thoughts, personal stories — and what I am working on. I hope this article brings you some value.

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Common Sense, Personality and Mutual Chemistry: More Important than Experience

Richard Golian PPC advertising, performance marketing, Mixit

Practical interviews at Mixit s.r.o.

Common Sense

Sure, I can teach online advertising and marketing data interpretation, but I cannot teach common sense. Either it is there or it is not. When someone overcomplicates simple tasks or ignores the obvious solutions, working with them becomes a challenge. Common sense is a quality that I try to find in potential colleagues during the practical part of the interview.

Chemistry

Another thing that you cannot force is chemistry. In my experience, when there is great chemistry among colleagues, any problem can be tackled. On the flip side, without it, even minor issues seem insurmountable. If someone in the team disrespects others, or is generally toxic, it needs to be addressed. It is vital to identify these traits during the hiring process or probationary period.

Motivation

It is tough to spark internal motivation in someone if they do not have it within themselves. I can inspire and energize someone temporarily, but I cannot sustain that for them. Working with someone who always needs a push is exhausting. This trait is often hidden during the hiring process because many people can fake determination and motivation. The truth usually comes out in the first few weeks of working together.

So, what do I look for in potential colleagues? Good chemistry, common sense, and internal motivation. It is simple.

Summary

When hiring, three things matter more than experience. Common sense — it cannot be taught. Chemistry — without it, minor issues become impossible. Internal motivation — it cannot be manufactured. Good chemistry, common sense, and internal motivation. That is it.

Common questions on this article's topic

Why is personality more important than experience when hiring?

Because skills can be taught but personality traits like common sense, internal motivation, and interpersonal chemistry cannot be manufactured. In the article, these three qualities are identified as what makes collaboration effective — and what makes their absence impossible to compensate for, regardless of how impressive a candidate's resume may be.

What is common sense in a professional context and can it be taught?

In the article, common sense is described as the ability to handle straightforward situations without overcomplicating them — recognising obvious solutions rather than ignoring them. While some aspects can be developed through experience, the core capacity is either present or not. It is identified as a quality to look for during the practical part of an interview, not something that can be reliably trained afterward.

Why does team chemistry matter more than individual skill?

In the article, the observation is that when great chemistry exists among colleagues, any problem can be tackled — but without it, even minor issues seem insurmountable. Research in organisational psychology supports this: task-focused cohesion correlates more strongly with team performance than the sum of individual abilities. Gallup research shows that knowing each other's strengths matters more than which strengths a team has.

Can internal motivation be created through management?

Not sustainably. In the article, the distinction is clear: temporary inspiration and energy can be provided, but long-term internal motivation cannot be manufactured by someone else. Self-Determination Theory confirms that truly sustainable motivation requires autonomy, competence, and relatedness — conditions that a manager can create, but the drive itself must come from within.

How can you identify personality traits during the hiring process?

In the article, common sense is tested through practical interview tasks, while chemistry is assessed through direct interaction. However, motivation is identified as the hardest to detect — many candidates can convincingly fake determination during interviews. Research confirms that over 90% of candidates engage in some form of impression management. The truth typically emerges in the first few weeks of working together.

What should you prioritise when building a team?

Good chemistry, common sense, and internal motivation — in the article, this is presented as the complete list. Experience and technical skills are explicitly secondary because they can be taught. The framework is simple but demanding: these three qualities determine whether a colleague will contribute to solving problems or will create new ones.

If you have any thoughts, questions, or feedback, feel free to drop me a message at mail@richardgolian.com.

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Richard Golian

What do I look for in potential colleagues?

Common Sense, Personality and Mutual Chemistry: More Important than Experience

Common Sense

Chemistry

Motivation

Summary

Common questions on this article's topic

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