The Recruiter's Surplus: Hiring for Attitude, Not Just Aptitude

This essay is autogenerated from my x.com threads.

The gap between a new hire’s attitude and aptitude is where the truly exceptional employees are found.

This is The Recruiter’s Surplus—the hidden value created when you hire someone with the right mindset, not just the right skills.

Hiring a technically qualified but toxic employee is a costly mistake. Their attitude drains the energy of those around them, diminishes team productivity, and slowly erodes company culture. Meanwhile, an equally skilled hire with a great attitude lifts the entire team, drives momentum, and enhances collaboration.

The kicker? You’ll likely have to pay the same salary for both.

But recruiter’s surplus is what sets great hiring managers apart. It’s the ability to identify qualified candidates whose attitude places them in the top 1% of their peers—those who bring day-in, day-out optimism, drive, and helpfulness to the table.

When you hire with this mindset, you transform not just your team but your entire company. Organizations that prioritize attitude and culture consistently outperform those that hire solely on credentials.

Hiring for A-player attitudes is what separates good recruiters from bad recruiters. And, ultimately, good companies from great ones.