Most Human Resource managers are familiar with hiring an employee that didn’t click. The candidate may have had a stellar resume, performed well in the interview, but was a disappointment after hiring. There are many reasons an employee does not end up being a good fit for a company. Some potential problems an employee does not work out could be:
- The employee did not have the technical skills to perform the job.
- The technical skills for the job description were not well defined, so what appeared to be a good match did not measure up.
- The employee lacked the necessary soft skills necessary to progress at a satisfactory pace.
- The employee did not harmonize with the company’s culture or brand.
Whichever of these is the case, it is never a good scene for HR when a new hire goes bad. It puts the company back to the drawing boardto hash out a new recruitment effort. Yet, when there is a solid recruitment strategy in place, the right person can be hired from the beginning. Everyone wins in this scenario. Here are 3 suggestions for developing a strategy that works.
List the technical skills needed for the job position
It sounds like an obvious first step, but many times employers have only a vague idea of what the job entails. This is especially true for small business owners and executives conducting hiring. They have likely not done the job for some of the positions. So, it is helpful to get input from people who have worked in that position. This helps define the job description from an insider’s point of view.
List the soft skills needed for the job position
Human Resources also needs to consider what soft skills are most important for the job. Studies show that employees with higher emotional intelligence are more successful than their peers. They are elevated to higher corporate levels and are more adaptable. Aside from looking for employees who have a higher emotional intelligence, there are certain soft skills that match job positions better. For example, if you are hiring someone in a managerial position, you want skills such as problem solving and teamwork. However, if you are hiring a social worker, then empathy and interpersonal skills are more important.
Pre-hiring assessments
After defining the skills needed for the job, it is time to see how the candidates measure up. First, you need a system to determine what skills the prospective employee already has. Then, it is important to have a way to measure the person’s potential. A Forbes article states 60 % of managers are not happy with new graduate hires. They feel the new hires don’t have necessary critical thinking and problems solving skills. One way to measure some of these skills is through pre-employment testing. It makes sense to find out if an employee is lacking important skills before hiring, not afterward. Many employers require testing for some technical skills; yet they don’t consider testing for soft skills as important. Intelligence and soft skill testing will gauge how well an employee will perform overall.
Another aspect of job performance, maybe one of most important, is motivation. A highly motivated employee is a real asset for the company and motivation can often make up for a lack of skill. When a person is highly motivated to excel at the job and grow, then he or she makes greater accomplishments.
In conclusion, employers need a solid recruitment strategy. Otherwise, they run into to common hiring pitfalls. The first step for employers is to be clear in their job description. After writing job descriptions, pre-employment testing helps narrow the pool of candidates. At San Diego Pro Staffing, we have proven recruitment tools. Contact us today for more information!
