Have you ever noticed how finding the perfect candidate is similar to running a marathon? You start off with high hopes and a little trepidation (because you know it’s not going to be easy). About halfway through the process you feel like giving up, but you plod on because you’re committed. Toward the end, your enthusiasm rekindles, which spurs you on past the finishing line. You’re left with a feeling of relief and achievement (and hope you never have to do it again).
Yes, recruiting talent is challenging, even when the labor market isn’t tight, or you have an HR department to help you. Show me a manager who hasn’t experienced sifting through dozens of uninspiring resumés, waiting for an interviewee who never shows up, or calling with a job offer, only to be told the ideal candidate has taken a job with a competitor. Not again!
It’s tempting to blame the job seekers and/or the job market (or your competitor who is much larger and can offer a much bigger salary). But that mindset leads to a long wait to fill open positions with third and fourth–string candidates. Fortunately, there are some practical things you can do to recruit the right person.
5 Steps to Recruiting the Right Person for Your Team
Sharpen up your brand and show yourself to be an employer of choice with these five steps. You’ll soon be attracting exceptional players to your team.
- Examine your team’s working environment
You don’t want to hire someone and then lose them after a few weeks or months because you haven’t created a culture and environment in which people want to work. Take a diagnostic look at your team and see how well they work together. Ask them if they feel their input is valued and their compensation package is competitive. Scary thought? Examining corporate culture requires deep and critical introspection. For leaders brave enough to go here, the rewards are great, especially when you’re about to recruit. - Scrutinize the job description
Are you asking for the knowledge, skills, and abilities you truly need? Job descriptions get quickly out of date, or they’re simply recycled with little thought about current business needs, so think beyond duties, responsibilities, qualifications and reporting lines. Consider also the competencies and behavior that you’d like to see in your recruit (e.g. customer focus, collegiality, attention to detail). Think more broadly than the position at hand. This is a good time to see what skills are missing from the entire team. A new hire is a great opportunity to augment your team’s strengths.
- Write an attractive job announcement
Many job announcements contain unbelievably long lists of qualifications in an effort to find that mythical ‘perfect’candidate (Hint: he/she doesn’t exist). Not only is it unrealistic but it’s totally off-putting to job hunters. According to CareerBuilder, job seekers spend under 30 seconds reviewing a job posting, so be concise and stick to the core needs.Include the information that job seekers most want to see: Details on compensation and benefits packages, basic information about the company and why it’s an attractive place to work, and a description of the work. List essential functions and competencies only, plus any details that are unique to this job (e.g. travel or unusual hours). If you’ve updated the job description using best practices, this shouldn’t be difficult.
- Be prepared to think differently about recruitment
When shortlisting candidates, think creatively and broadly. Be willing to consider those who come from non-traditional backgrounds or may not fit your original template for the job. Your instinct is probably to find someone who is familiar with your industry, but a talented individual from a different environment may just give your team the shot in the arm that it needs.You might be amazed at what treasures can be found by keeping an open mind. Look beyond the job ad and LinkedIn. Local colleges, professional groups, networking, employee referral programs (with incentives) are all rich sources of fantastic people who might be the perfect fit. Don’t overlook social media either. Apparently, 79% of job seekers say they are likely to use social media in their job search.
- Consider hiring for fit over specific skills
It goes without saying that you want to hire someone who can do the job. However, ask yourself this: would you prefer a long list of skills or the right attitude? I’m fairly sure that, most managers would agree with the statement “Give me a person with fewer skills but the right attitude and I can train them to do the job.”. In other words, don’t assume a candidate with the longest list of skills is your future team member.The attitude and objectives of candidates may be the best components of a successful hire, yet they’re hard to assess in a resumé. Be prepared to interview candidates who may not have all the skills you’re looking for. During an interview, you can seek to uncover what the person wants out of the job, what their career aspirations are, and if their work style will complement and enhance your existing team.
It’s tough finding the right person to hire. But if you’re prepared to draw up a complete job description, be open-minded, and think creatively, you can build that championship team.
Are you currently facing a hiring challenge? Then please contact Open Gate Consulting to schedule a no-cost consultation. We’d be happy to help.