Recruiting and onboarding are time consuming and expensive tasks which demand thoughtful consideration. As leaders, we must do more than simply fill staffing gaps. It is our responsibility to build strong team. Often, we focus on the transaction of filling the void and closing the requisition. No matter how anxious you are to bring on new talent, it is important to stay focused on the long-term objective rather than the administrative requirement.
When we become desperate to fill an opening, long term problems are created across the organization. As difficult and time consuming as it is to bring on new talent, it can be even harder and a lengthier process to manage a bad hire.
Resumes have become a puzzle for HR algorithms searching for key words. It is important when team building to consider more than just the minimum job requirements and which buzzwords are included on the resume.
There are many things to take into consideration when hiring new employees. Here is a concise list of that I use to focus my efforts on during the interview and candidate down selectin process;
- Character – does the candidate have the character to be effective in this role and an active member of the team. This includes energy, passion, ethics and values.
- Capacity – Do they have the ability, experience, and understanding to perform the task of this role.
- Experience – Review their previous roles and responsibilities the candidate fulfilled, understand how those experiences will make them an ideal fit for the team. Consider how their experiences will enhance the team.
- Skills – Education, certification, etc. consider what formal training is required for this role as well as the skills gap that this person will fill in the existing team.
Often companies start at #4 and move to #1 last. I recommend using this list in this sequence. It is important to consider that the best candidates may have more to offer then the degree or previous job title indicate. This ordering assumes that the candidates meet the minimum education and experience requirements as established by the hiring organization.
What other qualities and requirements make your short list for a candidate search?
Here are some additional thoughts on what to look for in a new hire:
https://elearning.scranton.edu/resource/business-leadership/10-qualities-to-look-for-in-new-hires
https://www.jobmonkey.com/employer-insights/look-hiring-new-employee/
https://www.jibe.com/ddr/7-qualities-of-a-good-employee-and-candidate-according-to-research/
Deb Willems 