I am a manager of many employees. I don’t look for people that stand out. I look for people that fit in with the culture we currently have. Ones that can be honest about mistakes and take criticism without taking it personally. I have an excellent team and the best thing I can do as their manager is not bring a new person into the mix that will disrupt that balance.
But you want the BEST of those people that fit in, right? If you have to choose between one with a great culture fit and ok performance, and one with great performance and ok fit, which do you choose?
Better fit. 100 percent. I can teach skills. I can’t teach trust in me and my team.
Make sure you don’t stand out in the way you naturally stand out, though. Conform to all the expected social rules but still stand out somehow.
