In your recruiting efforts, have you ever struggled to put together a list of interview candidates? Have you ever made a hiring decision feeling less than enthused about your choice? Have you given someone a job only to have them fizzle out in under a year? You might be able to blame all these common recruiting woes on the same problem – the job descriptions you are writing.
Job descriptions typically fall into a standard formula listing the skills and experiences the candidate must possess. But just because it’s been done this way for decades doesn’t mean it’s the right way to do it. A growing body of empirical and anecdotal evidence suggests that the classic job description is ill-suited for the demands of 21st century recruiting. Here’s why.
Skills Do Not Equal Performance
Job descriptions are typically based on the false premise that a candidate with all the required skills will also be a top performer. But as all hiring managers know, top recruits don’t always become top employees, and underwhelming recruits sometimes prove to be indispensable after being hired. Formatting a job description as a simple list of required abilities fails to articulate what is truly important and dynamic about the person you need to hire.
The Future is More Important than the Past
You are hiring someone based on what they could do, not what they have done. A skills-based job description places all the emphasis on a candidate’s past, rather than their potential. Dismissing recruits because they don’t meet every one of your required criteria eliminates a lot of talent from your candidate pool. Recognize that just because a candidate doesn’t tick every box on your checklist doesn’t mean they can’t grow into a top performer if given the chance.
No One Wants to Move Sideways
Put yourself in the position of a recruit. If you read a job description and you meet every one of the criteria, how excited are you going to be about that opportunity? As listed, nothing about the job has the potential to challenge you, force you to grow, or give you the opportunity to try something new. The job looks like a lateral move, which is discouraging for most professionals.
You Will Always Be Playing Catch-Up
Most recruiters are familiar with the problem of a talent shortage. The reason you are always lagging behind is that you are recruiting for your needs today, not tomorrow. Placing too much emphasis on the skills you need right now means that you will never have the skills you need in the future, no matter how hard you try.
Are you convinced that it’s time to rethink your job descriptions?
Work with the staffing experts at The Squires Group, and learn how to revolutionize your approach to maximize your success.
