So let’s say that you’re trying to fill a role in your company. You’ve done all the necessary steps to find candidates but once you get to the interview stage, there’s something that’s not clicking. Or perhaps you’re not getting as many applicants as you hoped. Well there could be a solution, but it would mean doing some digging. Because how can you get the best talent that you need for your organization if you’re still relying on blueprints from someone else?
There’s an art to perfecting job descriptions and to also connect with applicants. You want to find people who will be excited about the projects and tasks, so you need to bring that forth from the start.
Who are you looking for?
There are skills that can be learned. However, finding a future teammate that matches your company values is harder than you think. Think about the questions you want to ask them, give them an opportunity to share situational and problem solving skills they’ve learned or worked on. The day-to-day can be worked on so consider asking them about what they would do in a particular scenario or if they’ve been faced with this previously. Perhaps ask them about how they’ve faced failure or a negative experience. This will tell you more about their resilience and whether they can withstand the ups and downs of a leadership role or the uncertainty of working on a team.
When crafting your job description, put the same amount of effort into what they can expect to be doing in their day-to-day as well as what would be nice to have in terms of experience. Don’t surprise them during the interview or even worse on their first day with expectations that haven’t been clarified previously. This includes letting them know about whether they’ll need external training or if they’ll need to train alongside other team members. When everyone’s on the same page, you’ll avoid a lot of awkward moments.
How are you different?
If you feel like you don’t just need someone with a particular skill but are also looking for a teammate who will propose and come up with ideas, think about how you’ll be communicating this as well. Will this be placed on the job description, will it come included in the email letting them know they were selected for the next step in the process, or will it be said during the call? Avoid losing more time by not clarifying from the start.
If there is a skill you need, say it. If there’s a particular specialness about your internal culture, bring it out from the start. Perhaps it’s having an email response to them sending their CV, maybe it’s the way the interview will be set up. Every bit of this interaction provides candidates with information on who you are as an employer. You want enthusiasm rather than surprise from incoming applicants and new hires.
What results will you get?
Making changes towards more clarity for applicants will actually make the hiring process easier as you’ll be getting people who are aligned with your vision. Customizing your hiring practices to work within your own culture framework ensures you’ll be finding new teammates that will fit with your goals. When you know who you’re looking for it’s easier to make a decision between different candidates who are equally qualified. This saves you time in the long run as teammates who feel a sense of belonging and connection with both their organization and team are more likely to remain in the company, rather than job hop.
A job offer is a promise on both sides. Both parties are agreeing to fulfill their end of the bargain. So be clear from the start so that you’ll find someone who is just as committed to your goals. Tailoring your entire hiring process to your own company values will make recruitment so much simpler and more fulfilling.
