As an HR professional, you understand the value of employing outstanding candidates and integrating them into your company. High-quality employees produce better results, enhance the corporate environment, boost team morale, and inspire the future of your company.
However, identifying these candidates isn’t a straightforward process. The good news is, our experienced team has identified strategies and guidelines that we believe can aid in your search for outstanding employees. Let’s take a look at them here:
- Talent pool
Starting your search from a well-developed talent pool is one of the best proactive recruiting strategies any business can have. Begin thinking about the future hiring needs of your company so that the moment certain positions need to be filled, you already have a pool of high-quality candidates to choose from. Try not to wait until you urgently need to fill a job opening, before starting the recruiting process!
There are many ways to create a talent pool, such as implementing employee referral programs, keeping track of past candidates, as well as using reputable and well-connected third-party human resource consultancies – who will already have a comprehensive talent pool of their own, which you can leverage upon.
- Behavioural-based interview questions
Face-to-face interviews are a crucial step in really getting to know your candidates. There are many recommendations on how to conduct effective interviews – but one great tip to identifying outstanding employees is to ask behavioural-based interview questions (i.e. “Give me one example of how you managed a tight deadline”, “Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled its implementation”).
Such questions prompt the candidate to provide concrete examples of skills and experiences – how they respond will reveal if they held an active role or just supported from the sidelines. This is a great way to determine if a candidate has the abilities to make a real impact on the business.
- Actively seeking progression
Outstanding employees come in all shapes and sizes, but they do possess some common traits. Look out for candidates who are actively seeking advancement and growth. A progressive career history indicates that the candidate is primed and ready to move on to the next level. They are the ones who possess a willingness to learn and the self-motivation to constantly improve. This is an especially important trait if you are hiring for management roles.
- Commitment to career
Another common trait is a steadfast commitment to his or her career. Advancement takes time and outstanding employees understand that they need to invest the years in a company in order to progress. Be aware of hiring someone who hops from job to job constantly, especially those who do so just to get higher salaries. Such candidates show a lack of loyalty to their companies and that they value instant monetary gratification over long-term advancement.
- Compatibility vs Diversity
Most people understand the importance of hiring employees who are compatible with the corporate culture and who will get along well with the rest of the team.
On the other hand, don’t be completely blinded by culture fit alone. It is human nature to hire someone who is like you (similar appearance, background, etc.), and it is easiest for people who are alike to get along. However, diversity is becoming increasingly significant. New talent outside of your regular parameters will bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the business, and even expand the company’s reach into untapped areas and opportunities.
The process of choosing outstanding employees for your company is a minefield of challenges. There is no sure-win formula out there. Nevertheless, just stick to the above guidelines and you will off be off to a good start!
And remember that if you need assistance, a professional recruitment agency can provide you with more options, higher quality candidates, and speed up your recruitment process – so tap into this valuable resource as often as possible.
