The hiring process is almost as daunting for employers as it is for candidates. You must spend time weeding out the bad fits, running screenings and doing background checks. And that doesn’t include checking references. Unfortunately, this process can lead you to discard candidates that might be great.
Let’s look at three categories of candidates you should give some extra consideration.
Underqualified Candidates
Every employer wants an “ideal candidate” that ticks every box. The problem is those ideal candidates are only slightly less rare than unicorns. A profoundly less rare and potentially valuable candidate is the underqualified candidate. While these candidates might look iffy on paper, they frequently bring a monster work ethic to the table. It might be fear or ambition, but they’ll often work longer and harder than an ideal candidate.
Passive Candidates
You know that pile of applications or resumes you keep in a file somewhere of people who already have a job. You probably think of that pile as a waste of space. You shouldn’t. Just because a candidate has a job right now doesn’t mean they won’t leave it. Upwards of 60% of currently employed people would jump ship for another job to escape toxic managers, get better benefits or secure a promotion. Plus, these are candidates you know will do what it takes to keep their job once they have it.
Job–Hopper Candidates
Traditional hiring wisdom holds that people who job hop are bad candidates. The reality is more complicated. Sure, some job hoppers just can’t keep a job. Many of those job hoppers changed jobs out of necessity. Maybe a contract ended, or position was eliminated. Job hoppers often bring a more diverse set of soft and hard skills to the table. They’re generally better able to adapt on the fly and work with different managerial styles. They also tend to enjoy a more robust professional network than their non-job–hopping co–workers.
Find The Ideal Candidate
The quest for the ideal candidate may yield fruit sometimes. It’s worth looking for those candidates but not indefinitely. Underqualified, passive and job–hopper candidates can often step into those roles and perform very well. You just need to give them consideration to discover if they’ll fit your work culture.
Struggling to find those ideal candidates? Ready to look for other types of candidates? Then you want to work with the top staffing agency in Charleston, SC and beyond.
