Top 5 considerations when choosing a candidate

For many businesses, the road to finding a perfect candidate can be surprisingly long and arduous. Many clients come to us at the end of their tether with the whole process. So what are the key considerations you should bear in mind when on the hunt for your next ideal employee? Read on to discover our top 5 criteria to consider for businesses looking to recruit.

1. Can they do the job?

This can often be an employer’s sole focus and, whilst very important, without other considerations, will not be enough. Every employer wants all boxes ticked, normally, they’re after someone already doing the same job somewhere else. But ask yourself this: if they’re already doing that job, what’s different about what you’re offering? Will they become bored soon? How quickly will they expect progression? Can you offer that?

In a candidate-short, competitive market, a better question may be: ‘how much of the job can they do?’. The perfect candidate is not always in reach, so a candidate with everything else who can do only 85% of the job right now, could still be the ideal candidate. You can offer development, upskill them quickly and effectively in-house and potentially save money, as they will unlikely command the same salary as someone that can do all of the job right now.

Also, the candidate with the best skills may not meet the other criteria…

2. Is the candidate motivated?

This is critical. It’s easy for complacency to set in when working within your comfort zone. Does the candidate show the characteristics of conscientiousness, drive to continuously improve and work to the highest standards? Are they enthusiastic about their job?

A candidate that is less skilled but highly motivated can often be more productive and therefore a better choice.

3. Are they interested in learning new skills?

When recruiting a new employee, in addition to the role that needs filling, you should also be considering the future-proofing of your business, which can be multifaceted.

Think about succession planning; does this person have what it takes to advance within the company? Are they leadership material; could they be a thought leader or perhaps an innovation leader? With the recent events of COVID, many companies experienced whole teams taking ill at the same time. By cross-training your workforce, you ensure that each person can take on at least some of the work usually completed by another function, thereby reducing business risk.

If the candidate is keen to learn new skills, this gives a good indication they will be easier to develop and cross-train. Some individuals are not willing to learn skills outside of their own remit; keep in mind that this can be business limiting.

4. Is the candidate coachable?

The more open a candidate is to receiving coaching, the easier it is to develop them and their skills. Someone that is hungry for knowledge and continually wanting to develop will usually be grateful for advice, guidance and coaching from their colleagues and managers.

5. Are they a fit for your team culture?

Although this is often the last thing employers consider during interview, it should really be the first. A poor choice around team fit can unsettle an entire team, dramatically reduce productivity and in extreme cases, an increase in employee attrition.

Team dynamics are incredibly important in productivity. If a team gels, all members feel they can reach out for help, highlight issues and raise problems without fear of reprisal.

If you wish to develop a high-performing team then all of the following are vital:

mutual trust
clear communication
effective leadership
internal/external support
negotiating skills
unified commitment
clear goals

The negative affect of employing a highly-skilled individual with a poor team fit will often be more detrimental than employing an individual that is less skilled but ticks the other boxes and is a great team fit.

Need some help?

In conclusion, skills can be trained; work ethic, personal drive and cultural fit cannot! But the above considerations can be a lot to keep in mind for someone whose sole focus isn’t hiring, which is why so many businesses now use a recruitment agency to help with candidate engagement. Get in touch today to find out how our talent acquisition solutions can address your resourcing challenges.