When Settling is Ok

Traditionally, employers have made hiring decisions based almost exclusively on competence; breaking down a role into a laundry list of “required skills” and seeking candidates whose experience matches up with their wish list of ideal traits. However, the state of the workforce has rapidly changed. The ability to hire employees who align with your needs will become even more critical as senior talent is predicted to become scarcer in the future. So, how can your business overcome these modern hiring challenges to build a workforce that isn’t just aligned with your current needs, but has the ability to scale and adapt to achieve your future goals?

Fit not form:

When you turn candidates away simply because they don’t fit into the skill and experience you’ve initially set for an open position, you could be missing out on the perfect candidate. For example, let’s say a candidate puts in an application for a job posting that says you’re looking for four years of experience. They only have one year of experience, so you immediately write them off for the position before even looking over the rest of their resume. Had you done a deeper dive, you would have seen that they check every other box, are passionate and excited about your company, and would be a great culture fit. While this doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they would be your perfect match, it probably warrants a phone screening or initial interview. Consider being open to weighing years on the job with everything else a candidate can offer.

Experience doesn’t always mean high performer:

Bringing extensive knowledge to the table is great, but if they’ve become bored and are no longer passionate about what they’re doing, they’ll bring that lack of motivation to your company. It’s also worth noting that someone that feels they have years of experience may overlook other necessary qualities that it takes to get a job done right. One of the major benefits of hiring someone with no experience is that they have a fresh perspective and tend to be more willing to ask questions and challenge the status quo. These higher levels of motivation, passion, and curiosity can make all the difference. Making a new hire isn’t just about whether they have the right skills to fill your needs right now — it’s also whether they’re willing and able to keep learning new ones.

Hard skills are teachable—soft skills aren’t:

You find a candidate who seems to be the perfect fit for a job and checks off every box on your skills and experience wish list. But, when they actually come into your workplace environment and interact with the rest of the team, you realize they aren’t a fit from a culture perspective. If an employee’s personality just doesn’t align with your culture code or mesh well with the current team, it has hidden costs that can affect the whole staff. Soft skills like advanced communication, patience, team player, open to new ways of doing things, problem solving, giving others credit—these are skills where experience just doesn’t compete.

PrideStaff Financial has consistently won awards for exceptional client satisfaction. Our highly skilled staffing consultants can help you achieve the best hires that meet your company culture. Contact us today to learn more.