Written by: Tammy McElroy
Have the courage to make the right hire
We’ve long held this mantra of “Fire fast, but hire slow.” But what do you do when the market won’t allow for that?
The current candidate-driven job market is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before. Over the past two years, we’ve seen a great shift in the labor force.
As the pandemic forced people to work from home, employees started to look more at what it was that they needed to make their lives better. What worked best for them took priority over what worked best for the employer. And we’ve seen that same approach when it comes to hiring.
In order to attract the talent needed to fill job vacancies, hiring managers have had to implement new practices. What they found was that sometimes, you have to have the courage to step out on faith in order to make a hire. They had to hire fast. This requires courageous leadership.
In order to win new candidates in 2022, you need to show courageous leadership.
Here are some ways you can show courage when hiring:
- Be focused on the must-haves of each role: Limit the “must-haves” of any candidate to three or four qualities. This also goes beyond a list of skills or qualifications on a resume. Consider culture and values as part of these must-haves. We’ve seen candidates place a high value on a company’s values and culture before agreeing to take any job.
- Throw away your need to conduct panel interviews: Make sure candidates are vetted prior to conducting interviews and create a process to get the right people involved from the start so it doesn’t become a long, drawn-out process. You are not the only company courting your candidate, and if you are too late to make a decision then you will lose out on the right hire.
- Recognize there’s no such thing as the perfect candidate: You want to find someone who first fits in with your culture, and then possesses the set of qualities that you can take and mold into a perfect candidate. Give them opportunities for mentorship and training.
When you meet the right candidate, be brave enough to make the offer and invest in them to ensure your team’s success. When you know, you know. There’s no reason to delay and wait on the perfect resume to show up at your doorstep.
If you need help finding your next leader on staff, then reach out to me here. I would love to talk to you.
