Finding, maintaining, and growing the right talent is crucial to business success, especially in this economy. But academic intelligence and a strong resume are not necessarily the most critical elements of a top candidate. It can be much more crucial to fit into the corporate culture, its inner values, rituals, rites, and perspectives, with a compatible personality, creativity, flexibility, and social adaptability.

The right culture fit may be even more important than having a top degree. Although education remains an important factor, the best people for the top jobs may not be the ones who are the most educated.

There are a number of people in the hospitality industry, including board members, who have reached fairly senior positions without having a college degree.

Many started their career in high school or college, gained significant positions of responsibility, got married, and dropped out of school. Today, they are in top positions at thriving companies and considered leading executives by their competitors.

On three different occasions, I conducted searches for top executives in the hospitality industry with clients who initially said the position necessitated finding a person who had a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Each time they agreed, in the end, to consider candidates without a degree.

In one of the searches, I placed a candidate who did not have a degree but was a strong self-starter, a respected leader, and a great fit for the corporate culture.

Corporate culture starts at the top with the vision and strategy of leaders who recognize the value of a team in sync.

As managers hire new talent, they need to know the art of matchmaking, beginning with the knowledge that excellent credentials and skills alone are not enough. The company must also identify core values that can be matched by a candidate’s personal integrity, intellectual honesty, respect, passion, initiative, and a desire to succeed.

In order to match a candidate to a company’s culture, it is important to thoroughly understand in what type of business environments the candidate has been successful, as well as to identify the candidate’s SWEAT (strengths, weaknesses, experiences, aspirations, and talents).