J Patrick + Associates Blog

The Perfect Job Candidate... Or Not

Posted by Glenda Gregorio on Tue, Feb 23, 2016 @ 10:30 AM
How to find the Perfect Job Candidate

When there’s a job opening, the first thing many hiring managers do is reach for their checklist of what constitutes the perfect candidate. Whether it be years of experience in a specified field or big company credentials, hiring managers have their checklist and most will only hire candidates who meet all criteria. And while these points are important, they can often prevent you from seeing the bigger picture and lead you to miss out on the actual perfect candidate.

How to avoid missing out on the perfect job candidate.

Over-valuing Your Hiring Checklist

Remember that most skills and requirements of the job can be learned, but attitude and personality cannot. To hire the perfect candidates, you must accept the fact that not every candidate will meet all the qualifications for the job. Basing your hiring decisions completely on a hiring checklist can lead to looking over really good candidates. It is important to become more open-minded, would you rather hire a candidate that is motivated and has a positive job attitude but meets 6 out of the 10 requirements or the candidate that meets all 10 requirements, but doesn’t necessarily fit with the rest of the organization or the job?

Over-valuing CVs

Today, most hiring managers base their hiring decisions on the credentials of job candidates, such as degree status, work experience, and certifications. This intensifies the pressure on job candidates to have a standout CV. In a recent survey conducted by Careerbuilder.com, about 58% of hiring managers reported detecting exaggerations and outright fabrications on resumes.  Remember to approach CVs with an open but critical eye to pinpoint any discrepancies!

Under-valuing Cultural Fit

Although it's important to look for the right skills and experience, ensuring that the candidate meets the fit of the organization is also crucial. A given candidate might meet all of your requirements, but will his attitude and personality fit with the rest of the organization? You may be asking yourself, how can I determine if a candidate meets the cultural fit? Well, many firms are administering personality tests to figure out if said candidate is the right match. Remember that it works both ways. If a candidate is a great fit for your company don’t pass on them just because they don’t have the necessary qualifications!

Before selecting a candidate based on your checklist ask yourself, “did my best employee meet all the qualifications when they were first hired?” It is important to remember that job skills and certifications can be learned and earned, whereas cultural fit and positive job attitudes cannot.


New call-to-action

 

Tags: HR and Hiring