Culture, Commitment and Character

Pete Gum is Executive Director of SEAA.

I’ve lost count of how many résumés I’ve reviewed over the years. Credentials, certifications, and work history can make someone look perfect on paper. But here’s the truth I’ve learned: the best hire is not always the person with the longest list of achievements. More often than not, it’s the person whose behavior shows they’ll take responsibility, work well with others, and ensure the job gets done right.

That’s why Adam Rosen’s recent piece, “Stop Hiring Résumés — Start Hiring Behaviors,” struck such a chord with me. Published by the Center for Association Leadership, it captures something that’s easy to miss in an industry like ours, where technical expertise and years of experience may overshadow equally important traits. Yes, skill matters. Yes, experience matters. But behavior is what determines whether someone will strengthen our culture—or derail it.

You Can Teach Skills—But Not Personality

It’s critical that hiring and retention strategies evaluate the behaviors that tell us whether someone is a good fit for the company culture and strengthens the team.

Too often, hiring managers default to checking boxes—years in the field, specific equipment certifications, or past job titles—without considering the human factor. But what ultimately determines success on the jobsite is whether people respect one another, pull their weight, and contribute positively to the group. Culture is fragile; one bad hire can undo months of progress.

Throughout my career, I’ve repeated one phrase so often it might as well be etched in stone: You can teach a skill, but you can’t teach personality.

If someone lacks a certification, you can provide training. If they need more time in the field, you can assign mentors. What you can’t do is teach someone to be accountable, to take initiative, or to care about the quality of their work. That must come from within.

The same is true for teamwork. A strong crew is built on trust and collaboration. No amount of technical knowledge can offset the damage of a bad teammate. But when people are willing to help one another, solve problems together, and prioritize safety, everyone succeeds.

Hire Slow, Fire Fast

Another philosophy I’ve carried with me is simple. Hire slow, fire fast.

This doesn’t mean dragging your feet when it comes to filling open roles. It means being intentional—looking beyond résumés and asking deeper questions. When you hire carefully, you protect your culture. And when you move quickly to correct a mistake, you protect your people.

Take time to evaluate behaviors during the hiring process. It’s nearly impossible to “fix” a bad hire after the fact. Dragging out the process only hurts the rest of the team. The faster you protect your culture from toxic behaviors, the healthier your company will be.

Foundation of Career Success

When I used to speak with high school students about entering the trades, I broke career success down into three basic behaviors.

1. Have a driver’s license.

2. Pass a drug test.

3. Show up on time every day.

That’s it. Simple as it sounds, these three habits separate those who will keep a job from those who won’t. Except for a driver’s license (the most basic of credentials in our society), the other examples are about reliability, responsibility, and self-discipline.

And really, those are the same behaviors that drive long-term careers. Technical training can and should follow. But if you don’t start with the basics of showing up ready to work, the rest won’t matter.

Connecting This to Our Future

I believe this focus on behavior-first hiring is at the core of organizations that achieve strong cultures and engaged employees. SEAA is preparing to launch a new program that will give visibility to companies that prioritize healthy business operations, competitive benefits, and ongoing investment in training and development. Often the byproduct of those commitments is excellent safety and quality records.

The SEAA board of directors sees this initiative to highlight not just skills and technical paths, but also the importance of personal accountability and cultural fit. It’s one thing to prepare someone for a trade. It’s another way to prepare them to succeed as part of a team and community.

Looking back, the hires I’ve celebrated most over the years weren’t always the most experienced. They were the ones who took ownership, showed up consistently, and cared about both the work and the people around them.

If we want to build stronger companies and a stronger industry, we need to look past the bullet points. Hire for behaviors. Train for skills. And never forget that it’s the people that make the difference.