Linda Descano, CFA, President and CEO, Women & Co., and Managing Director and Head of Content and Social, North America Marketing at Citi shares advice on how she hires.

1. How I Hire: Look Past the Pedigree
By Linda Descano, CFA®, President and CEO, Women & Co., and
Managing Director and Head of Content and Social, North America Marketing, Citi.

2. Credible. Is this someone
with integrity and sound
judgment, who is believable and
trustworthy, and who will act in
good faith, not just to the “letter”
of a law/policy, but embrace and
respect its spirit and intent?

3. Competent: Is this person the “real
deal”? Does s/he have the requisite skills,
experiences and knowledge to be
successful in this role?

4. Cultural Fit: Is this someone with the values,
outlook and behavior that is congruent with that of
our organization and team?

5. Can-do Attitude:
Does s/he have a positive
outlook with a bias to action?
Is this someone who is
resilient and results-oriented?
Will s/he act like an owner and
not just bring good ideas to the
table, but also execute those
ideas as well?

6. Charitable: Is s/he singularly
focused on his/her own success
at the expense of others, or is
this someone who uses his/her
experience, knowledge and
connections to elevate and
benefit others?

7. Change-oriented: Is this someone who embraces change and
sees it as an opportunity for—or obstacle to—progress? Can s/he
operate comfortably in a fast-paced, dynamic environment?

8. Curious and Connected:
Is this someone with a thirst for
knowledge, who is willing to
learn new ways and unlearn
old ways? Is s/he actively
engaged in industry
conversations and well placed
to bring fresh ideas, insights
and perspective to the team?

9. Communicator with Distinction: Can this person organize
his/her ideas, get those ideas across and tailor the message to meet the
needs of different audiences? Is s/he an acute listener who truly hears
and understands the messages that others are sending?

10. Join the conversation!
Read more of Linda Descano’s Influencer posts on LinkedIn here.
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