Even though there is a great deal of talent in the pool of people who are available to hire, positions can stay open for a long time as companies try to find even better applicants, or worse, the perfect candidate.
It should come as no surprise that there is no perfect candidate. You won’t be able to make a list and find a person that can check off every box. But that shouldn’t stop you from hiring a good candidate. How do you know when to hire and when to keep looking? Here’s how:
Consider the skills gap.
There is a great deal of debate about the skills gap, which is essentially the idea that there are too many job openings and not enough skilled applicants. Depending on what your industry is and depending on what area of the country you’re in, there may in fact be a gap between the job requirements and the resumes that are coming into your company. If this is the case, and you don’t expect it to get better, consider creating your own qualified candidate by training someone who is under-qualified but willing to learn.
Don’t let a good one get away.
Often when a manager finds a good candidate, they get the feeling that there may be ten more just like them out there in the job market. This is probably true, but that doesn’t mean you should keep looking for something you’ve already found. If you wait to interview more applicants, the person who first caught your eye may lose interest in working for you, or even be snatched up by one of your competitors.
Listen to your gut.
If there are any red flags that come up during an interview, in someone’s resume, or in the process of speaking with references, don’t ignore them. Small issues are easily pushed aside in the beginning, but they become magnified the longer someone is in your workplace. If you have a bad feeling about a candidate, feel free to politely send them on their way and start looking for someone else. Even if you can’t quite put your finger on it, it’s perfectly acceptable to keep looking for your next employee.
Are you looking to demystify the hiring process? Contact a recruiting specialist at Burnett’s Staffing for help with all of your recruiting, screening, hiring, and management needs.