Hiring the Best
Source: The Costco Connection, June 2013, p11
At a time when, sadly, so many people are still out of work, it may seem like a buyer’s market for employers looking to hire. But having so many highly qualified candidates to choose from may present its own problem – to wit, how do you know which one is the best choice?
Chicago career coach, management training consultant and Costco member Roger Wright’s new book, Finding Work When There Are No Jobs (Think Different Press, 2013), offers advice for job seekers. Here, he offers his tips for employers.
1. Listen for the story. It used to be that quick scan of the application was enough. No more. The right applicant will be able to go beyond names and dates. The right applicant should be able to tell the story of how he or she will be able to do what needs to be done for your business.
Seasoned recruiters all use the word “fit.” Fit means all those hard-to-define qualities that fall into place when just the right person meets just the right job. Fit is different for every business, but it is always important. Ever run across a person who looked good on paper but felt wrong for the job? That happens when there is no fit.
2. Then comes community. Savvy businesspeople need to think about community to find the right person. Wright calls it “communitizing” because it’s more than just networking. It’s working from inside any community to match the person with the job. If both you and your applicant share a common community, you’ve set the stage for success.
3. Finally, there is purpose. Can applicants say why your business is in business? Or is their story just about the open job? The right information will get what’s important to you.