Breaking the “Perfect Hire” Mentality

As the old saying goes, “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” This is especially true when it comes to recruiting. Too many companies are willing to drag out the recruitment process endlessly, waiting for the ideal candidate to arrive on their doorstep. And while it’s good to be selective and never advisable to rush the recruitment process, waiting around for the perfect hire to appear simply hurts your business. Below are three strategies to help you break out of the perfect hire mentality and streamline your staffing efforts.

Be Realistic About the Necessary Skills

In every job, some skills are essential while others are simply ideal. The next time you have a vacancy, make a list of all the skills you would like your perfect hire to have. Then rank those skills in order of importance. Once you have a better picture of what it actually takes to be successful on the job, you can look for candidates who have those skills, rather than every single skill mentioned in your job description. That will open up your candidate pool significantly.

Look for Talent That Has Potential

Rather than looking for talent that can act as the perfect hire beginning on day one, look for talent that can grow into the perfect hire after six months or a year. These candidates might not have the perfect skill set, but they do have the passion for the job, the enthusiasm for the company, and the commitment to professional development that it takes to exceed expectations. Give these candidates some time and the right amount of support, and they could mature into an indispensable part of your team.

Focus on the Culture Fit

Just because a candidate looks perfect on paper that doesn’t mean they will succeed at your company. They might have the necessary skills and experience but lack the soft skills to get along with co-workers, or show a weak commitment to the mission and values of the company. Assessing how well a candidate reflects you company culture gives you a much better picture of their real quality as a candidate. Job seekers who reflect your culture are in a better position to make an impact starting day one, and typically stick around longer because they actually like where they work.

Would you rather wait six months to meet the perfect candidate, or connect with a pool of competent, committed, qualified candidates right now? If you answered the latter, contact Morris Bixby before you start your search.

|

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *