Despite careful planning and forecasting, sometimes we find ourselves in hard hiring positions. Whether we’re searching for very niche or specialized talent or we just need to hire a large number of employees, these situations can arise quickly and become both time-consuming and stressful.
Regardless of the situation, it’s all too easy to resort to “fast and furious” hiring (a.k.a. find a person who can do the job, onboard them and move on). They might not be your best hire ever, but you simply lacked the resources to devote more time to it and the position(s) needed to be filled as soon as possible.
The truth of the matter is, it’s a competitive candidate market out there, and hiring is ramping up everywhere. What that means for your hiring, is that now more than ever, it’s important to hire meaningfully. By hiring for the future, rather than just filling positions, you are not only making your job easier but you’re also making your company better.
Here are a few tips we put together to help you save some time while still hiring candidates that will move your business forward:
It’s easy to feel like diving right into the candidate search is the best course of action. But taking a short amount of time to write out a strategy can save you hours in the overall process. First, make a list of key characteristics your ideal candidate has. Maybe they need to have specific certifications, a certain amount of experience, or knowledge of a particular software. Next, make a list of some secondary softer needs. Perhaps they need to work well under pressure or enjoy a fast-paced work environment.
While the first list is a set of hard “must haves” the second is just as important. Know the work environment you are hiring for and search for candidates you think would excel in that arena.
Searching for the right candidate can take a lot of time, a lot of time you might not have. Look back at your strategy and ask yourself, where are these candidates looking for jobs? Are they on job boards, social media, or are they currently working somewhere else and you’re looking to capture their attention? Not only that, consider “how can I best target them and excite them about my company when I reach out?” Don’t forget to channel powerful search engines like Google to take your sourcing to the next level.
Don’t blast your opportunity everywhere, focus on the places that matter for your desired candidates.
If you want to hire the best-of-the-best candidates, instead of only looking at qualifications and skills also look for the candidate’s goals. These can tell you a great deal about your potential new hire. Goals illuminate what drives your candidates, where they see themselves in the future and how they view their skills and abilities. Looking at candidate’s goals will allow you to quickly see if their aspirations are in line with the organization’s. Individuals thrive when they are given opportunities for growth and to pursue their career in a way that is meaningful to them.
Finding candidates whose goals align with your business’ can be the first step to a meaningful hire and long-term investment in your company.
In our digital world, automated processes are everywhere. Recruiting is not one of them. As hiring managers we are in the people business. It’s our job to locate and hire the best talent for our company based on deep knowledge of the business and its needs. Sometimes there are candidates that may check all the boxes, but a gut instinct tells you they may not be the right fit. Go with that instinct. If you think on the core reason you don’t feel inclined to hire someone, usually you’ll find the real issue. Choosing not to hire based on that information can save you from filling that position again in the near future even if it seems like it will be a short-term success.
Hiring for hiring’s sake is not a solid recruiting strategy, do your research and go with your gut.
With hiring on the rise everywhere, it’s critical to focus on hiring smart. Stick to a strategy and use it to guide you through finding the right candidates whose goals and skills are in line with your company’s. Choosing candidates who are a great fit for your organization, rather than just a person filling a seat, will put you well on your way to better employees and better business.
