Matchmaker, Matchmaker…..

wooden puzzle croppedBy Sara Schorr…..

Finding people to join your growing team is one of the most important pieces in the business puzzle. Employees can make (and break) your business, so it’s important to hire the talent that meets your business and cultural needs. The time between the initial posting and the offer letter can vary, but if you know what you’re looking for and are open to reading between the lines, the search can be a lot easier. True recruiting is matchmaking – after all, would you marry someone you just met?

Tell Me What You Want (What You Really, Really Want)

It’s hard to find a person that fits in the exact mold you create in your mind. It’s even harder when you have so many requirements listed that candidates shy away from applying. What can you do?

Start with the distinctive must haves. Does the position require specific certifications, licenses or education? Include those. They’re deal-breakers and people either have them or don’t. Everyone wants a motivated, self-starter with excellent communication skills and the ability to think outside the box. These are great catch phrases to include, but 9 out of 10 resumes that come in will claim that they are. What are you really looking for and why? If you can’t articulate that, you’re not going to find it.

On the other hand, being too vague about what you are looking for hurts your chances of attracting the right candidates. Don’t throw a handful of darts hoping for something to stick. It takes precision and a clear vision of what you’re looking for in order to find it.

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover (Letter)

It’s easy to skim a resume or cover letter and toss them into “Yes” and “No” piles. It takes a lot more time to really look into a candidate’s history to see if their past experiences translate into your company and culture. Resumes are outlines of major accomplishments or duties in former positions. If someone were to list out every single duty they managed in their past positions, their resume would be 20+ pages long –  Ain’t nobody got time for that!

So how do you dig deeper? For starters, you can simply ask. But asking takes time. That’s why recruiters exist – to take the leg work out of the candidate search so you are looking at a much smaller, more qualified pool. You just need to make sure that you are working with the right recruiter that understands your culture and your needs. And while we’re on the subject of recruiting – if you’re only focusing on what they can do versus who they really are and what they can really contribute, then you’re missing the boat again.  Great if they can fill the functional role, but not so great if they aren’t a fit for the culture and the way in which you do business.  They have to be able to get behind the beliefs of your business, does the average recruiter take time to figure that piece out?

Carpe Diem – Don’t Wait ‘Til It’s Too Late

So, you’ve found that one person that checks off all (or most of) your boxes and it almost seems too good to be true. Should you wait to see if anyone else comes along that you can compare them to? Trust your gut, but know that the longer you wait, the higher chance you have to be without anyone to look at.

Great candidates come along all the time and just like you, they don’t want to put all of their eggs in one basket. They’re likely talking to multiple companies and may choose the first to pull the trigger, rather than risk waiting until your decision has been made. Deliberate?  Absolutely.  Procrastinate and it’s your loss.

Need help finding the right person to fit into your culture? Call or email us today – 913.940-5391.