Building a successful team has never been easy, and it’s especially challenging with today’s tight labor market. Talented people have many options available to them, and your company will have to work extra hard to find and hire the right set of people. As you flip through resumes and conduct interviews, you’ll have to have a clear hiring strategy in mind. These five tips can help you make the right decisions.
Find Candidates Who Fit the Context
Too many hiring managers obsess over finding the “best” available candidate. Remember that you’re not trying to unearth the most talented individual in the labor market. Your goal is to fill a specific position, and you need to find someone with a particular niche, not a next-level resume. Instead of scrutinizing educational backgrounds and credentials, think about what type of person could bring the diverse viewpoints and unique skills that your team needs. It’s not about finding the best candidate available but the right person for the position you’re filling.
Identify What Your Team Is Missing
A team is like a complicated stew, and each person represents a particular ingredient. Before diving into that stack of resumes, think about what flavor your current team is missing. Perhaps you need a true leader with a can-do attitude. Maybe you’re lacking a reflective thinker who quietly works out unique solutions on the side. Whatever you’re missing, you should know exactly what you need before you go looking for it.
Consider a Candidate’s Potential for Growth
When looking at potential hires, don’t think only of the job they’ll perform when they first arrive at the company. Try to also consider how they could progress and assume positions of even greater rank and authority. When you hire people with limitless potential, you give the business the deep well of talent that it will draw from for years to come.
Look for Strong Leaders
Even if you’re proud to be the leader of your team or business, it’s vital that you recognize the need for additional leaders within the organization. Every day, members of your team will encourage and push each other to produce new ideas and achieve better results. Much of this work happens quietly, and you’ll only notice it when you finally see the outcome. To make sure these dynamics develop, look for candidates with a strong record of leadership. Also, make sure you hire people who are true experts in their fields. If you can find candidates whose expertise surpasses your own, you can expect them to show leadership in the workplace and steer their colleagues towards higher levels of success.
Don’t Lose Sight of Your Vision
Building a team is a long, difficult process, and nobody gets every decision right. As you make and assess individual hires, don’t forget to focus on your long-term goals. A single poor hire won’t dismantle your team, but a sound hiring strategy will certainly help you build it.
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