Part two of the three-part series on redefining how you hire new employees introduces the idea of hiring for outcomes and potential. Most hiring managers focus on the skills and experience a candidate has to offer. But there is more to the equation when it comes to determining a candidate’s success. By identifying your ideal results and learning to spot applicants who will become more than they are today, you are aligning your business for future improvement.
Here, we examine what it means to hire for outcomes and potential. If you’re ready to take your hiring practices to the next level, consider these points.
Hiring for Outcomes
Many job postings contain information on the skills a business feels they need to function properly. While this isn’t a bad way to locate candidates, it is only part of the picture. In an ideal world, you want to find an applicant that can meet a specific production goal. For example, you may need them to analyze current VoIP telephony options to find the best vendor for the services, or to develop a disaster recovery plan for your company’s critical data. While both of these positions require someone with IT skills, they are not necessarily indicative of the same person.
By identifying the key production items you require from the position, you can focus on more suitable candidates. If the employee will work as part of a team, but you need a particular skill gap filled, then the skill gap should be the focus to guarantee your desired outcomes. Once you understand what a position needs to do at its core, you can better identify the precise characteristics of the best matching applicant.
Hiring for Potential
It is easy to be dazzled by a candidate’s level of experience and past accomplishments. However, those things alone do not guarantee a particular outcome in the future. Past success may be enticing, but a good hiring manager needs to look beyond the flash.
A candidate is more than their experience. Each applicant possesses a unique combination of skills, abilities, aptitudes for learning, and personality traits. A combination that worked well during their past employment does not mean they are the best fit for your company’s needs.
Instead, you need to look at whether the applicant has the potential to excel with you. To assess that more accurately, you need to examine how the candidate will fit into the larger picture. If they are going to work as part of a team, do they possess the skills needed to fill any gaps? Are their personalities a good fit for the team? Do you need someone with fresh eyes or a person who has extensive experience in a particular area? Should they be prepared to grow with the position, or will their duties remain the same?
Applicants with the most potential demonstrate characteristics that suggest greatness in their future, even if it isn’t fully realized today. It may come with an eagerness to learn, an openness to new ideas or superior problem-solving skills and a willingness to adapt. These traits aren’t always shown based on their previous experience in the industry, or the hard skills on a resume.
Pulling it All Together
There is more to effective hiring than a candidate’s experience. Consider the outcomes you require to find the ideal skillset, and don’t neglect an applicant’s potential to excel. Hard skills can be taught, but a willingness to grow with your company is innate.
The Squires Group has the knowledge and expertise to redefine how you hire new employees. Contact The Squires Group today and see what they have to offer.
