Hondy&Co Talent Advisory

Why behavior matters as much as skills, on both sides of the process?

Technical skills, experience, and qualifications are essential, but they alone don’t guarantee a successful hire. Attitude, communication, and adaptability often shape collaboration and long-term performance. And this applies to both parties: companies are also being evaluated by the talent they hope to attract.

Beyond the CV

A brilliant salesperson can fail if they don’t listen to colleagues, take feedback poorly, or struggle to adapt to change. Conversely, a curious, constructive professional with a strong team spirit can develop the skills they lack.

The challenge, then, is to assess both expertise and professional behavior, whatever the role, level of responsibility, or industry.

The cost of a hiring mistake

A bad hire can lead to internal tension, lower productivity, demotivated teams, and an early departure. According to various studies cited by Cegid, the cost can range from €20,000 to €200,000, depending on the role and context.

For the candidate too, the consequences matter: frustration, loss of confidence, and a disappointing professional experience. The mismatch isn’t always about skills; sometimes it’s about management style, expectations, or work environment.

The best candidate on paper is not necessarily the right person for a given environment.

Companies are evaluated too

Hiring is a two-way evaluation. Candidates notice how they are welcomed, listened to, and treated: the quality of exchanges, transparency, whether commitments are kept, and how relevant the feedback is.

According to an IFOP study for YAGGO (2020), 84% of working people have had a bad application experience, most often due to a lack of response, and 6 in 10 say they would be ready to boycott the company concerned. Timing matters as well: according to Robert Half, a quarter of working people would turn down an offer if the hiring process takes too long. Conversely, a professional and respectful process builds trust, even when the application doesn’t succeed.

How a company treats its candidates contributes to its appeal, just as much as the role and the conditions offered.

Technical skills or behavior: which should come first?

Technical skills can often be developed through training and experience. Some behavioral traits, such as collaboration, handling disagreement, or the ability to question oneself, can be harder to change.

This doesn’t mean interpersonal skills should always take precedence over expertise. The challenge is to distinguish the skills that are essential from day one from the behaviors that will determine success over time.

The same standard applies to recruiters: assessing a candidate is not enough. You also need to listen, communicate clearly, and represent the company faithfully.

Hiring is about building trust

At Hondy&Co Talent Advisory, we see recruitment as a meeting of skills, behaviors, and mutual expectations. In practice, that means structured interviews, practical exercises, and systematic feedback to every candidate, so that both parties can make an informed choice.

Because a successful hire isn’t about convincing someone to accept an offer; it’s about creating the conditions for a lasting collaboration.

Skills can open the door. Behavior helps build success. And the quality of the relationship during the hiring process can determine whether that door truly opens.