Hiring an HR Professional: 6 Traits For Your HR Dream Team

Human resources has transformed since its beginnings from a highly administrative department to a strategic function that drives organizational success.

Today, an HR professional can actively help steer an organization’s strategic direction, working closely with top-level executives and managers on key business objectives. Some of those objectives—that have grown in importance to employers in recent years—include attracting and retaining employees, managing and mitigating risk, and improving organizational talent. 

Since the pandemic—employers were tasked with managing an entirely remote workforce for the first time ever, were challenged with mitigating brand new health risks associated with their employee population, and were charged with solving a severe hiring crisis—HR leaders are now leading and steering business strategy more than ever before. 

With all this heightened responsibility and opportunity, HR leaders need to ensure their teams are at the top of their game—and that starts with hiring the best people. 

From the Experts: What Makes a Good HR Professional? 

To find out what HR leaders should prioritize and look out for when hiring an HR professional, we sat down with Vanessa Partin, chief human resources officer at Redgrave, on this week’s episode of America Back to Work: Expert Interview Series

As a respected human resources leader, Partin has established herself as a vision-driven, goal-focused, problem-solving professional focused on mentoring and leading people, directing processes, and creating efficient, easy-to-follow best practices. Prior to starting at Redgrave in early 2023, she worked in HR at Kirkland and Ellis. 

Her lifelong HR experience makes her the perfect expert to weigh in on what HR leaders should be evaluating when bringing on new HR talent. Below are the top qualities she looks out for in a candidate when building out her Human Resources dream team. 

Adaptability and Resilience

The business world is ever-evolving, and organizations face new challenges daily—and that means all teams, including HR, need to be agile and adaptable. Candidates who demonstrate flexibility, adaptability, and resilience during the hiring process are more likely to navigate change more effectively and contribute positively during uncertain times if hired. 

Learning Mindset 

Partin believes that HR leaders should seek out candidates who are critical thinkers, can approach problems creatively, and come up with innovative solutions on their own. Mostly, she looks for HR professionals who are skilled researchers; even when they don’t know the answer to something, they teach themselves a new way to solve the problem.

Good Listener

According to Partin, the most important quality in an HR candidate to look out for is their listening skills. After all, HR is about supporting employees—hearing their concerns and taking meaningful action to respond. A good, active listener can discern the nuances of a conversation to bring the right level of empathy and the right solutions to the problem. 

Passion for the Craft

“If you are passionate about something, you will do it well,” says Partin. Passionate HR employees bring energy and enthusiasm to complex problems. They are genuinely excited about their work, which can be infectious and motivate the entire team. Having passionate HR professionals can contribute positively to the company culture since most employees look to HR to lead by example. 

Team-Building Skills and Collaboration 

HR brings together multiple disciplines, specialties, and backgrounds to get the job done. That means HR leaders should prioritize candidates who value collaboration, have a team-first mentality, and can work harmoniously with diverse groups of people. 

Technical Competence and Relevant Experience

At the end of the day, “you have to bring in others that can get the work done,” says Partin. While soft skills are crucial, it’s essential to ensure that candidates possess the necessary technical skills and the right experience for the role, including industry-specific knowledge, certifications, and a proven track record of success in similar positions. 

For more tips on hiring and retaining top HR talent, click here to listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts.