5 Truths Behind Common Hiring Myths
Hiring a new prospect is always a big undertaking for businesses of all sizes – no matter if it’s your first hire or one of many, there are a multitude of factors that should be considered before sending out the official job offer.
This important decision is even more difficult when you take into account all the conflicting information hiring managers often hear. Should candidates without related work history be automatically disregarded, or will their perspective improve the company? Do people with a history of job hopping lack loyalty to their organization, or do they have a wealth of knowledge and talent to bring to the table?
Questions like this have gone through every hiring manager’s mind at some point, and with good reason. In the constantly moving world of information technology, the hiring and recruiting process has changed and so have the job-seekers. To stay on top of the current hiring trends, hiring managers and recruiters alike must learn to interpret the new landscape of candidates. Find out how five of the most common hiring myths can be debunked.
Myth 1: Job hoppers aren’t loyal to their companies.
Though it’s not as frowned upon as it was a decade ago, moving jobs every couple of years still attaches a certain stigma to a candidate’s resume. Today’s hiring managers should rethink that bias. In today’s workforce, staying with a company for years and years just isn’t as common – which can be a good thing.
Employers should see this trend as a positive trait in candidates, and that’s because in all likelihood, the job hoppers of today are driven by their own desire to find new challenges in life. In fact, over half of employees, 63% according to studies, show that employees don’t define loyalty by the length of time they were at a company, but rather the products they delivered while working there.
In the long run, those successful past projects speak volumes above how long they were at their past places of employment.
Myth 2: Candidate resumes from other careers and with no related work experience should be tossed.
It’s understandable why hiring managers look for candidates with experience in the field – they’re almost guaranteed to have more common knowledge on the job at hand. However, employers shouldn’t be too quick to ignore job seekers who might not have technology or information technology backgrounds on their CV.
Transferrable skills can be just as meaningful to an organization as finding someone with the exact requirements. Invaluable skills like leadership, time management, superior communication skills, and so much more are often better indicators of success in a position than how many projects the candidate has worked on.
Not only do these ‘soft skills’ indicate their quality as an employee, but their unique perspective from a different job field can bring a breath of fresh air to how your company has always done things. If the candidate is interested in your company and has transferrable skills, they’re primed to bring true innovation to your company’s work.
Myth 3: Interview answers tell employers all they need about the interviewee.
In-person interviews are important, no doubt about it. Evaluating who someone is will certainly be easier when you have the opportunity to observe how they act and respond throughout the process. But just because a prospect interviews well, doesn’t mean they’re going to fit your company’s culture.
When looking at the scope of the hiring process, the hour or two spent talking with a candidate is actually pretty small. That’s why performance based hiring is important – assessments, developing tests and reference checking all play a big part in what an employer should consider. This method of comparing quantitative and qualitative factors will almost always provide a well-rounded new employee.
Myth 4: Hiring outside of the company is best when older employees retire.
Baby boomers are reaching retirement age in droves, which is leaving many companies with new higher up positions empty and in need of leadership. Instead of looking outside of the company, employers should turn their search within, especially towards younger talent.
It’s no secret that millennials are taking over the work force. In fact, they’ve already surpassed baby boomers as the largest generation. While external hires can be the right fit and bring in their own set of experiences, hiring from within means a company can nurture the talent of an employee who already knows the ropes.
This process saves companies time and money in regards to recruiting, onboarding and training. The results usually lead to companies with more confident, well-rounded, and talented employees who have a true understanding of the organization.
Myth 5: The perfect person for the job is out there if you really look.
The perfect candidate is a myth in itself. It’s very rare to find someone who actually meets every bullet point in the job description, has every requirement you want, and fits into the company with ease. All employers can dream, but the person who turns out to be your ideal employee might not be who you expected.
There’s always going to be a trade-off between the time it takes to look, the financial investment dedicated to the search, and the quality of the hire long term. Being able to recognize a good fit who might need a little work is often times more valuable than holding out for the mythical perfect person. If both employee and employer are willing to learn and grow together, the outcome can lead to positive impacts throughout the company.
The hiring process can be daunting in today’s fast-paced world of technology, but Talmadge can help. We offer a free, no-obligation strategy session that can help you improve your hiring process and help you discover the candidate with the right fit for you.