We’ve all been there, either as business owners or managers, we are trying to find the perfect person for that critical vacancy in the organisation. Despite a great offer being available a reliable and competent staff member seems nowhere to be found. So what’s the problem? Are people’s work ethic, commitment and values really not what they used to be, or are our expectations as an employer becoming too high for any applicant to possibly meet?
Are your expectations losing you the best applicants for your job?
Whilst there are obviously valid arguments to be made on each side of the equation, as a Recruitment firm we are seeing more and more often employers coming to us with a list of requirements that even their most ideal applicant could not meet. It seems more common now than ever than employers are less willing to train, expecting more bang for their buck from their staff and wanting to get it all at a bargain price. Now clearly this generic statement does not apply to all employers, but even to those great firms who are more realistic and flexible than most – are your expectations losing you the best applicants for your job? As time poor business managers who wear many hats each and every day, the thought of training a new staff member at times seems frustrating and if you can avoid it by hiring someone with the experience then why not? The answer is simple, and it comes down to the age old adage – hire for fit and train for skills. Hiring staff with all the qualifications and skills in the world will not make them the ideal person for your role, above all they need to share the values, visions and missions of the company and fit in with the rest of the team. Trying to find someone who fits the values PLUS possesses all the skills and experience you need can, in many cases, be thousands of times harder than finding a needle in a haystack. So what’s the answer? Bite the bullet and put your priorities in order. List out what are the essential versus desirable criteria for the position and be ruthless, unless it’s ESSENTIAL it shouldn’t be on that side of the list. An example might be:
Essential:
- Must have their own vehicle because we are nowhere near public transport
- Has an Accounting degree (only add qualifications into your essentials list if they can’t do the job without it)
- Must have demonstrated abilities to learn new tasks quickly
- Has strong computer skills (if they can use most standard systems well they will almost certainly pick up your in-house one without any problems)
- Must understand the principals of Marketing and PR
- Has experience in a Customer Service / Account Management role
- Can provide two verbal references of ex-managers (so you can call and check all of the above)
Desirable:
- Has previously worked in the advertising industry
- Possesses experience using MYOB
- Can type at 55wpm
- Has worked with our three major clients recently
As you can see, many of the things on the desirable list could quickly creep into the ‘essentials’ list and make your life that bit easier. If there are applicants in the market who meet all of your desirable criteria – fantastic! But the reality is, the longer your list, and the more out of tune it is with the candidates in the market the longer that position will sit vacant, ultimately losing money for the business.
