While it may seem wildly counterintuitive, companies are beginning to recognize the value in hiring disruptive talent. For those not familiar with the concept, someone who is a disruptive talent is an individual who offers exceptional qualities (intelligence, problem-solving abilities, etc.), yet often challenges norms, and can be somewhat difficult to work with.

So then, why would it be a good idea to intentionally hire challenging employees? The value in hiring disruptive talent lies in the innovation these individuals can bring to an organization. When boundaries are pushed, rules are questioned, and unique perspectives are voiced, meaningful change can happen where needed. The average staff member typically does not take the same risks that a disruptive talent would take. It is through this risk-taking and deviation from the norm that brings about creative solutions and growth.

If your company is looking to hire challenging employees for the unconventional benefits they bring, follow these three tips for success.

Evaluate Risks

When looking to hire someone who will challenge organizational norms, risks must be weighed when considering candidates. Carefully review the potential new hire’s references and work history to ensure that the risk you are taking is calculated. Hiring someone who has been excessively disruptive in previous positions will likely cause more issue than what is reasonable.

Integrate the Employee

Once hired, you must have a plan in place to integrate and develop disruptive talent. Challenging personalities will not fit into the organization like most others, so setting the expectation that they will is not a good plan. Work to help develop a positive environment for the new employee, as well as existing staff members.

Understand the Benefits

To fully utilize the skill set of the newly hired individual, take the time to fully understand the benefits of hiring someone who will productively disrupt company norms. Strategically place these individuals in meetings, groups, and on projects where their talents will be fully leveraged.

About NextGen

NextGen is the brainchild of longtime telecom professionals with nearly 50 years of experience and millions of dollars in Telecom Recruiting Services. We focus on establishing long term relationships with our clients and candidates so we can recruit the best and the brightest in the telecom industry. This ‘quality over quantity’ approach is at the heart of everything we do and has resulted in successful job placements at Fortune 1000 firms worldwide.