In simple terms "Emphasizing the importance of the whole person, and the interdependence of its parts", as defined in the dictionary. Meaning simply, recruiters are looking at the complete you, and not just the standard qualifications and experience you bring to the table.

Through holistic recruiting, the HR specialist now looks at the complete you. And it's your emotional intelligence that defines the best part of the holistic approach to hiring. Your core values as a person drive your EQ or emotional intelligence. As such, the better you score at the EQ level, the better equipped you are for fast track hiring and thus, promotion. If you already communicate well, and understand all that's involved in being an active listener, then your EQ is already on solid ground.

Example: In the past, we've all seen employees promoted well beyond their capabilities. Yes, they were very good at their job, and as such worthy of being promoted to supervisor level. Their EQ, or emotional intelligence, was never a factor, and thus we have all kinds of great workers promoted into positions they are totally unable to manage. Having the skill to do a certain job does not equate to supervisor material, and there is plenty of proof of that fact. What we are only now learning is that holistic hiring, or career promotion, can best determine whether that hiring or promotion will in fact be successful.

With all the downsizing of late, there has been a huge emphasis on the so called team player. If there was a working team of 12 and now the head count of that team is only 6 and the work load is the same or likely even greater, that team had better really get along and work well together. As importantly, their supervisor better have the proper tools to manage that smaller team or the work never gets done, done badly or worse, the stress of it all just produces a great degree of sick time. Stress has become the leading cause of employee sick time. That stress is much less attributable to the work itself, but more to the personality conflicts and internal political strife that result from bad team management. By it's very design, the initial holistic recruitment approach would never let that happen.

The holistic approach I have mentioned is very new and very few HR specialists are well versed on the subject. As an executive, you can make a huge difference in your career and to your company, if you fast track a complete understanding of this approach. This understanding works at every level of the company, and the sooner most employees are exposed to it, the sooner stress is removed and more productivity will result.