It’s no secret that the recruiting process is often time-consuming, frustrating and expensive for HR leaders, job recruiters and talent scouts. Finding and attracting the right talent requires time and resources, multifaceted advertising, and in-depth resume reviews — just to start the process.
The cost alone for a low-wage employee can easily and quickly run into the tens of thousands of dollars. That’s just for someone who is the right fit for the organization. Double those figures if recruiting needs to start again, due to the employee’s early resignation or termination.
HR teams are busy. Organizations must stay on budget. Employees need to work. With the right solution to common hiring challenges, everyone wins. That’s where spotting talent as early as possible becomes a game-changing recipe for success.
How to Help Your Organization Thrive
Talent recruiters know the challenges of identifying the right person for the position and the organization. Even if the candidate is perfect on paper, there is a wealth of subtle answers and behaviors that recruiters need to examine.
Employers now face low unemployment rates. This results in a business era where employees increasingly seek the right position for their needs and are not hesitant to make job changes as they see fit.
Hiring managers may appreciate some tips on finding outstanding candidates in the hiring process to help ensure a good, long-term match.
Define Who the ‘Ideal Candidate’ Really Is
Many internal recruiters step into the process with a list of requirements and desired competencies from the respective department manager. It is easy to come up with a preconceived notion that may not fully correspond with the best applicants.
To better understand the prospective employees, the hiring team and department manager should meet and flesh out the actual person needed for the position versus someone who simply checks all the right boxes on paper.
Here are a few questions to consider in such a meeting:
- Does the person have an overwhelming number of core competencies and soft skills such as good verbal and written communication?
- How well will he or she fit in with the corporate culture?
- Does the candidate have the right combination of self-confidence and willingness to accept constructive criticism?
- Is the person capable of understanding and positively responding to various points of view?
Know the Intricacies of the Available Position
Working with the department manager, HR team members can source talent more easily by learning exactly what the position requires, so they can begin narrowing choices as early as the resume and application review phase. Discuss the role in its current state, along with the fitness of the person previously in the position. Learn what gaps there are and how to fill them to streamline the department’s efforts.
By looking at this potential hire as an opportunity for improvement, it can help make it easier to refine the position and spot the best talent.
Take a Risk and Listen to Instincts
Sometimes, the candidate with the ideal education, experience and certifications may lack other skills that aren’t easily taught — such as integrity, enthusiasm and a strong work ethic. None of this means to throw away the carefully compiled list of desired skills and overall requirements. It means that it is crucial to look at the full picture of the candidate to make a well-informed decision.
Spotting Talent Becomes Easier With an Evolving Strategy
The job market is in a state of evolution these days. Job positions can change just as rapidly. It is important that hiring teams develop a well-balanced strategy that includes strong communication with department managers and a willingness to look at concrete and soft position-specific traits of prospective employees. For more guidance, refer to the corresponding infographic.
About the author: Paul Cherry has helped business-to-business sales professionals close deals in all major industries for over 23 years. Paul is a successful salesman, author and a recognized thought leader in customer engagement strategies and has been featured in over 250 publications. He is the founder of Performance Based Results, a sales technique and leadership provider that as worked with over 1,200 organizations including 175 of the Fortune 500.
