When you’re hiring, it can be tedious to sort through the stacks of applications that come in for the job. Even more challenging is the task of pinpointing the intangible skills that aren’t easy to quantify on a standard resume. While these intangibles, also known as “soft skills,” might not seem relevant on the surface, qualities like kindness, integrity, work ethic, and more can indirectly support a healthy, high functioning work environment.

Creativity is a prime example. In fact, in many industries, it can be more beneficial to hire an individual with creative skills and limited direct experience than to hire someone with a great deal of industry knowledge but no creative background. Before you begin reviewing your next crop of candidates, consider the following benefits of creative employees in the workplace.

  1. Creatives Can Create New Solutions To Old Problems

    Every industry has its common roadblocks. Sometimes, no matter how many meetings you have or emails you send, it’s difficult to land on an appealing solution. When a problem has been impeding your workflow for an extended period of time, it’s clearly become too complex to solve in the usual way. Creative problem solving is a sought after quality for this reason—creative individuals think differently than those accustomed to other industries. Many times, employees with a creative background are able to see an old issue in a new light and can help you to uncover a unique solution that works for everyone. 
  2. Creative People Are Adaptable
    Many creative projects rely upon workshopping, editing, or altering an idea after feedback is given. This capability is highly transferable to your workplace. Your creative employees will likely handle criticism or notes fairly well and know how to adapt to better suit the specific role you hired them to fill.
  1. Persuasion Is Inherent in Creativity
    The basis of creativity is presenting ideas in a way that people will respond to positively. This means that creative employees are often adept at translating those skills into meetings and presentations for your colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders. The innate ability to portray information in a digestible, clear way is key to any business and shouldn’t be overlooked.
  1. Creative People Seek Opportunity 
    In the same vein as creative problem solving, creative people know what to look for in new business and relationship opportunities. If you are looking to expand into a new market, connect with clients in a unique way, or develop a new product, a creative employee will be your best resource. Creativity is all about connection, so don’t overlook this skill in the workplace.
  1. Creativity Is Tied to Learning
    Most creative people crave knowledge, understanding, and new perspectives. What does this mean for you? You’ll have an enthusiastic employee who truly wants to learn and grow. That spells benefits for your business no matter your industry.
  1. Creativity Is Undervalued
    Unfortunately, many industries don’t place enough value on creativity—and some even look down on applicants with creative backgrounds. However, breaking with this line of thinking and considering applicants with creative backgrounds or those with creative skills will give you an edge over your competitors. No matter your industry, having creative employees on your side will help you to stand out to customers and heighten your appeal.

The increasing demands of recruitment mean that you have a great deal to consider when it comes to selecting your future employees. Keeping your mind open to creative employees can help you to diversify your team’s talent and broaden your horizons for growth and business to business connection.

Here at Stang Decision Systems, we are passionate about helping you hire the right employees for your business. To learn more about how the HireScore assessment platform can help you identify creative employees with skills relevant to your business, contact us today.