Richard Branson has some important advice for hiring. According to him, the single most important attribute when considering someone is personality. Not skill. Not qualifications. But personality.

People who are "fun, friendly, caring and love helping others" are winners and the rest of the job can be taught, he wrote in an column published on LinkedIn on Monday.

He explains:
"You can learn most jobs extremely quickly once you are thrown in the deep end. Within three months you can usually know the ins and outs of a role. If you are satisfied with the personality, then look at experience and expertise. Find people with transferable skills – you need team players who can pitch in and try their hand at all sorts of different jobs. While specialists are sometimes necessary, versatility should not be underestimated."

"Don’t be afraid of hiring mavericks. Somebody who thinks a little differently ... Some of the best people we’ve ever hired didn’t seem to fit in at first, but proved to be indispensable over time."
Do you agree with Branson? Have you ever had a candidate who's got the skills but lack the attitude? It's a common scenario all too familiar.