You have a vacant position and a need to fill it. Sounds simple — but you have decisions to make. Do you hire for immediate need or do you seek out a candidate with long-term growth potential? And how do you decide which will work best for you?
- If you truly feel you need to get someone into the position immediately, consider working with a staffing agency such as PrideStaff. They have vetted candidates ready and eager to work, and they can help find you quality temporary staff while you look for someone long term. Creating a strong relationship with a firm such as PrideStaff allows them to work for you: If they know your company, as well as its needs and goals, they can more readily help you fill a position if you have an urgent need, taking much of the stress off you (and your hiring manager).
- You have to consider what you’re looking for: With certain positions, if they require someone with a certain level of expertise and qualifications that takes years to acquire, hiring that person immediately may have you on the hook for a high salary to go along with the high level of candidate. Hiring someone with a little less experience but high growth potential has the benefit of offering a discounted salary and offering training as you require. Plus this person will learn and grow with your company’s expectations, making them his own.
- As you look at candidates, look for those with potential to improve and excel. Perhaps the person doesn’t have the exact set of skills you’re looking for but has ones that can transfer — and did extremely well at her last job. That’s the sort of person who can do the same with your company. Perhaps with a little training and mentoring, you will have hired a trustworthy, long-term employee who will help improve your business.
- Statistics tell us that the average resume gets about seven seconds’ viewing from HR and recruiters. If you follow this practice as well, looking only for keywords to narrow down the pile, you may miss out on someone who doesn’t put those words in but has the background or the potential to make a great employee. Remember: You’re hiring a person, not just what he puts on a resume. So do slow down a little and look for the person who will really fit best, either for an immediate need or a long-term prospect.
As positions become available, you will know best whether you need to fill them right away or have the time to truly seek out a candidate who will become an asset over time. Working with a top recruiting firm such as PrideStaff Thousand Oaks can help you make that decision more readily.
