Are Recruiters Being Too Picky?

Too many modern recruiters behave as though they think that filling an open position is the business equivalent to replacing an auto part. You have a list of qualifications, and you simply look for the one candidate that fits all of your criteria.

But what happens when that perfect candidate just doesn’t appear? The Career Advisory Board, in its 2014 study on Job Preparedness Indicators, reports that this occurs more and more often. In fact, only 7 percent of all hiring managers say that most of their applicants are good fits vis-à-vis hiring criteria. For example, an applicant may fit most criteria, but may be a non-native English speaker who lacks some needed communication skills. Another candidate may be an excellent communicator, but comes up short in one or more other categories.

So, where does that leave you? Too often, hiring managers give up their search because they can’t find a candidate who matches every aspect of the job description. Meanwhile, suitable, talented applicants go without work, or continue to be underemployed. This indicates that there may be an opportunity for a win–win, instead of the current lose–lose situation. Why not consider highly qualified – but not perfect – candidates for a position that will otherwise go unfilled?

To help overcome the rough spots in resumes and skill sets, establish a pre-employment assessment program for candidates that look “close,” but not quite right. This requires a slight change in strategy for the hiring manager. It’s worthwhile when skills assessments and more extensive interviewing reveal important qualities that were overlooked initially, when job criteria alone were used as the sole filter of incoming talent.

Rather than looking at the totality of the traits required and allowing a single empty “check box” on your list of needed qualities to trigger an automatic disqualification, why not prioritize those traits, with essential qualities being weighted more heavily than non-essential ones? Candidates who can supply all or most of the essential qualities would then be assessed for job preparedness.

Creative thinking is sure to provide other strategies that could prevent the months-long fruitless searches that often end as a permanent vacancy on a company’s job roster. By viewing candidates as humans with potential, instead of static “parts” of the corporate machine, hiring managers can leave some room for candidates to grow and surprise them. Meanwhile, companies can benefit from “close enough” hires who develop on the job, as they fill vacancies and help to maximize the potential of their teams.