Hiring for Heart: Why Your Best Employees Bring More Than Experience
In any small business, your team is your brand. They shape first impressions, solve challenges, and create the kind of experiences that keep customers coming back.
That’s why hiring the right people isn’t just about what’s on their resume. Experience tells you what someone has done — not always who they are. And in a business built on connection, communication, and care, who they are matters just as much as what they know.
Here’s how to build a team that reflects your values, strengthens your culture, and delivers the kind of service that grows your business from the inside out.
Hire for Heart, Train for Skill
Skills can be taught. Heart can’t.
Look for candidates who bring empathy, optimism, and curiosity to the table — the kind of people who make others feel seen and supported. During interviews, listen for real examples: a time they turned a customer’s bad day around, helped a teammate succeed, or stayed calm under pressure.
These stories reveal character, not just competence.
Look for Curiosity and a Growth Mindset
In a fast-moving business, growth requires adaptability. The best employees aren’t just open to change — they’re energized by it.
Ask candidates how they stay curious, what they’ve learned recently, or how they approach challenges they’ve never faced before. People who thrive on learning often bring fresh ideas, innovation, and resilience to your team.
Prioritize Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is what turns good communication into genuine connection. It helps employees read the room, adjust their tone, and make clients or customers feel valued.
Simple, situational questions like “Tell me about a time you had to calm an upset customer or coworker” can reveal how someone balances empathy with accountability — a skill that keeps relationships strong inside and outside your business.
Seek Culture Builders, Not Just Culture Fits
The best hires don’t just blend in; they make the whole team better.
Culture builders are the people who bring positivity, collaboration, and humor into the workplace — qualities your clients and colleagues can both feel. Ask about how candidates contribute to team morale or support peers. You’ll quickly see who naturally elevates others and strengthens your culture.
Use Real-World Scenarios, Not Just Questions
A resume tells you what a candidate says they can do. A scenario shows you how they actually show up.
Try simple role-play exercises that mimic real-life interactions — welcoming a new client, solving a problem, or explaining a process. Pay attention to their tone, body language, and thought process. The best people lead with calm, confidence, and care.
The Bottom Line
Hiring the right people is one of the smartest investments a business owner can make. It’s not just about filling roles — it’s about finding individuals who bring curiosity, emotional intelligence, and genuine care to everything they do.
Because in the end, the best employees don’t just represent your brand.
They become your brand.
At Loomenate, we help small businesses build strong teams and thriving cultures — because when your people shine, your business does too.
Let’s connect to design a hiring strategy that aligns with your values and vision.
