“HIRE AN ATTITUDE, NOT JUST EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATION” – GREG SAVAGE
Hiring, an important aspect of human resources without which an organization ceases to exist. Recruitment has undergone tremendous change in the past decade with new innovations in technology, artificial intelligence, RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) and the like. With all the tools, technology and automation in place, the need to hire the right people is still crucial and challenging. Below are a few lessons learnt while in recruitment
Passion over experience: A candidate who is passionate and has the basic skills about the role in question can be considered for an initial interaction even with little or no experience. Passion drives performance and hence leads to success. A passionate employee will go out of the way to make things happen, will come up with out of the box solutions, ideas & initiatives, is self-driven and motivated. Hence is ‘fully engaged’ and that makes up for an excellent performer.
Will is more than Skill: An employer comes across a lot of candidates who have the right skills but lack the WILL. As the leaders say ‘Skills can be learned but what about the WILL’. Such candidates may fair very well in the interview but fail to perform their roles & responsibilities. They need constant supervision and are not self-driven. On the contrary candidates who have the WILL to learn and win end up developing more skills.
The skill vs will quadrant would be like: If the candidate’s skill and will are high, go for him. If his will is high, but skill is low, consider him. If his skill is high but will is low, place him on hold. If both are low, reject him.
Career Break is Not a Crime: Most candidatures with a gap in employment are rejected outright. It is important to know and understand the reasons for such gaps. A failed business idea, family reasons, health issues, lay off and trouble finding job after are some of the many reasons of being unemployed. Past experience and potential of such candidates should be considered while hiring.
Cross Sector Talent: A typical job post would read “Candidates from similar industry and experience only”. The rule of ALWAYS looking for people with similar experience and industry is irrational. This doesn’t mean industry and experience identical to the job don’t matter. It definitely does but not looking at others is like missing on a potential pool of talent. Companies should hire talent that has proven its flexibility and adaptability by switching industries. They should also look outside their own industry for innovation in the area of processes and technologies. Cross sector talent provides room for new ideas and fresh approaches. That’s what makes diversity both a key driver and an associated benefit of hiring out of sector.
Age is just a Number: The many not so young yet highly talented and well experienced candidates struggle to get their desired jobs because of ageism. Most of the organizations are inclined towards younger talent. Typical job specifications would read “Candidates below 30 only.” The importance of age in the selection process varies across sectors. For eg: India’s entertainment industry has long been accused of being ageist, with older models, actors, and performers losing out roles to their younger counterparts. While age factor is important and essential for certain job roles, candidates with good experience and high potential should not be overlooked. Instituting opportunities for intergenerational or multi-generational teams to work together is a brilliant way to dismantle myths and stereotypes while engendering respect and goodwill among all employees.
The above are a few but important parameters that are overlooked while hiring. Recruitment is an integral part of HRM. It is the deciding factor on the right candidates being chosen in the selection process. Hence while following a structured recruitment format, LOOKING BEYOND proves to be extremely beneficial.
