At the most basic level, workplace diversity is important because it represents fair and equitable hiring practices. It's reflective of society and the truth of our demographics. After all, according to the US Census Bureau, Asian, Hispanic and multiracial groups will hit majority status by 2044.

Our businesses need to reflect who we are.

But there's another reason businesses need to focus on building an inclusive workforce: a broad spectrum of talent and ideas is vital for success. Exposure to a variety of points of view can lead to more ideas and better decisions. Diversity pushes us to explore, rethink, innovate and push boundaries.

In short, diversity is good for business. 

We only have to look to The Renaissance for the perfect example. The Age of Enlightenment didn't just take shape out of thin air. It happened because technological advances (larger ships, navigation techniques, etc...) enabled people to travel greater distances. When East met West all manner of ideas were exchanged. Creativity was ignited sparking the idea for countless, important innovations.

The same holds true for your business. If you're not attracting and retaining women and employees from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds then you're depriving your company of the full spectrum of available talent. And that is bad for your bottom line.

Let's explore 4 practical steps you can take to enhance diversity in the workplace.

1. Assess Yourself

In order to build an inclusive team, you first have to take an honest look at where you are right now. To make any kind of shift, the organization needs to be willing to ask hard questions of itself and try to assess the situation with candor.

Some things to ask consider include:

• What mechanisms have you established for offering promotions?
• How are you managing your talent pipeline?
• At what point on your corporate ladder are you experiencing the most drop off by women and ethnic minorities?
• Are you utilizing exit interviews to gather information on drop off?
• What, if any are your recruitment biases?

The best way to find positive solutions is to delve deep into your problems with an honest and unbiased approach.

2. Attract

Let's be clear, we are not speaking about quotas or hiring goals. This is about building teams that reflect a wide variety of experience, thinking style, personality type, and points of view.

But the truth is if your company culture does not reflect an inclusive mindset, all the quotas in the world won't help you to attract the kind of talent you need to succeed.

Make certain that your brand aligns with your philosophy. Just as savvy consumers have learned to sniff out greenwashing, candidates will know when your commitment to diversity is superficial.

Hiring managers need to set their checklists aside. Rather than looking for candidates who can check off each box and fit the position profile to a T, look instead for team players who bring a new perspective or unexpected experience. What you want are broad thinkers who bring a spark of innovation to your team. And you're more likely to find that when you cast a wide net. 

3. Retain

Now devote equal time and energy to getting new hires to stay. According to the 2016 Women in the Workplace Report by McKinsey & Co., women receive less access to the people, feedback and opportunities that lead to promotions. They are also less likely to receive the first critical promotion that will set them on the path to management. And that all adds up to higher attrition rates.

This is the time to lay the groundwork for the long run. It’s important to show your hires they have a future in the company. Establish mentoring programs to help build strong relationships and illustrate the pathways for advancement. The Women in Business, Turning Promise into Practice report by Grant Thornton revealed that providing mentors for female employees helps women to build their confidence, empowers them to speak up and to stand up for their ideas. It also provides a framework for seeing where they can go in the company.

As Kim Bohr, Executive VP Operations at Fierce, Inc. stated in the HR Daily report on 2017 workplace trends, "An objective within organizations should be to create an environment where all employees can feel at ease and capable of understanding differing perspectives that exist, regardless of gender, race, generation, religious affiliation, or any other aspect of identity."  

4. Inspire

Make certain that avenues for advancement are well known among all of your employees. Create an environment where innovation, flexibility and prudent risks are rewarded. And always highlight successes, both large and small. The confidence and appreciation you extend will be returned two-fold. 

In addition to focusing on current hires, also think about setting your sights on the future of the workforce. Getting involved with organizations that mentor girls and minorities is another way to support the diverse workplaces of the future. There are organizations devoted to girls and minorities in STEM fields, in Management and even programs geared toward encouraging girls and minorities to step onto the MBA path. Whatever your field, there's an organization promoting education for kids and job training for underserved populations.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about diversity is that it's not just about numbers. It's about a company culture that values equality and recognizes the inherent strength in a variety of perspectives and ideas.

Complex AV Systems have become essential to corporations, government, education institutions, transportation, and consumer outlets. Industrywide growth is steady and each year we are seeing the demand deepen. According to NSCA's State of the Industry Report, the majority of market sectors were projecting growth between 15-55% growth for 2016. These trends are borne out in our own practice here at J.Patrick, where we are seeing high demand for talent in all AV roles. See all our jobs listed here.

One of the positions we see some of the heaviest demand is for AV Techs. And while candidates entering at this level might not need much prior experience in the field or certifications, the search for talent can still be tough. It's important to keep an open mind when vetting candidates, and considering those who come from parallel industries.

Let's explore a few such parallel industries we've found to be good sources of talent.

Music

The music industry is a natural place to search for AV talent as many of the skills and abilities are easily transferable to AV/IT. That the music industry can be a difficult place to make a living and/or to get ahead, makes it an obvious place to recruit for talent.

While many people enter the music sector for the passion and the love of music, they also realize they need an industry that can offer them career growth. AV/IT is a natural fit in that regard. We've found that the fact that techs can expect to work in a variety of settings (such as commercial locations, schools, corporations, etc) with technology that is always changing and improving, is very appealing to these kinds of candidates.

It's worth noting too that video production is also a good source for talent.

Security Video

Once upon a time security companies simply offered alarm, call, surveillance, and sprinkler systems - the tent poles of basic home/office/institution security. But those days are long gone, and we've seen many traditional security companies expanding their offerings into areas that closely parallel AV/IT.

And as a result technicians from this field are well prepared to move into AV/IT. They come with a knowledge of cabling, installation, and the kind of troubleshooting that is required of AV techs. They're well accustomed to working on-site, crawling through walls and under tables in settings that can be sensitive, cramped or in use at the time of installation.

They also have a firm understanding of how to work efficiently all while being the face of the company with customers.

Just as with other in-demand roles, when it comes to the search for AV Technicians, being willing to set aside your checklist can result in finding the best talent.

It might be tempting to think that on-boarding new employees are all about insurance forms, office tours, and parking passes. Or, you might think it's synonymous with training. But the truth is, knowing how to do onboarding right is so much more than the sum of its parts, and it's also the key to ensuring you have an engaged, inspired workforce.

Here is a timeline to ensure That you do onboarding properly

It Begins Before The Offer

On-boarding begins long before a new employee signs their deal. In fact, it begins before they arrive for their first interview. By taking the necessary steps to ensure that your interviewing and hiring processes are fluid, responsive and timely you're sending a clear message that you care about your employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy and engaging work experience for them.

And then it goes further into how you handle the negotiation of terms. Once again being responsive is key - no one wants to be left hanging or put on an extended hold, especially when their career is on the line. Transparent negotiation tactics and clarity send the clear message that you are invested in the candidates’ future and their long-term success.

Once the offer is made, the deal closed and the start date set is when the active phase begins. Now it's time for the manager to reach out to your new hire with a friendly welcome and a letter clearly specifying the job objectives, expectations, and strategies. They could also include a package of suggested reading, a run-down of equipment used or even a big-picture view of how the team operates.

What's important is to open the channels of communication so that the new hire feels part of the team before they arrive for day one.

Day One

Regardless of the business at hand on day one (paperwork, insurance cards, key card, id photo session, etc...) your responsibility is to be prepared and ready for your new employee's arrival.

Secure the proper building passes, alert the receptionist, make sure that the direct manager is in the office early, have all the necessary paperwork ready, and above all have a work station/office prepared, cleaned and ready to be occupied.

There's no worse feeling than arriving for your first day of work, a stranger in a strange land, and having no place to sit, no one to guide you and nothing to do!

Many companies utilize a mentor system for the first days and weeks, and we think it's a wise tactic. Even senior-level executives need someone to touch base with regarding protocol and methods - appointing someone who is in either a parallel or senior role to be a touchstone not only smooths the way for your new hire, but it also helps to reinforce training, foster relationships, and cooperation.

When someone leaves the office at the end of their first day at a new job and is asked "How'd it go?" the only answer you want them to tender is "Great!"

Your job is to make certain you've done all you can to ensure that's the answer they give.

Week One

The first week is a time for your new hire to adjust to all the social and performance aspects of their job. Necessary training on everything from software to how to operate the espresso machine is taking place. But above all that they should be finding their feet socially now.

If you've fostered a company culture in which employees of all levels, from C-level to the support staff feel like they are part of the team, then they will be extending a warm welcome to the new player. A warm handshake, an invitation to lunch, even just a friendly introduction are key to helping the new hire "buy-in" to your company.

It's also during the first week that HR or the manager needs to make the review process known. By offering frequent check-ins and a schedule of formalized reviews (30 days, 60 days and 90 days), you are sending the clear message that you are invested in the individual’s success.

Remember: Investment builds retention, not compensation!

Month One

While the new employee will likely have begun to find their feet at this point, it's important to keep some of the welcoming structures in place.

The Mentor relationships works best when it's ongoing and ever-evolving. At this point, it’s not only serving to foster relationships and job clarity, but it also increases productivity and innovation.

The First 90 Days

The 90 review is an important tool for both employee and employer. Conducted one-on-one with direct supervisor, and/or team leaders this is the time to see what is working, and what's not.

Not only are you reviewing their performance, but you must be open to hearing from them what's working for them, and what could have gone better. If the channels of communication have been open and available, there shouldn't be any surprises during this meeting, and if there are, then it's time to go back and review your process.

Taking care to handle onboarding properly and thoughtfully, you are sending a clear message that you are invested in your employees’ happiness. And as we know, happy employees are more innovative, more loyal and perform better than workers who are just in it for the paycheck.

If you’re a hiring manager with a fully staffed team, you might assume there’s no need to keep seeing candidates. After all, you’re busy and need to keep your focus on rewarding your top performers, continually training the guys in the middle and pushing the team members who are lagging behind. Why waste time interviewing candidates for a position that doesn’t exist?

here are 3 important reasons why you should always be recruiting

1. Gather Intel

Regardless of what business you’re in, you need to constantly be gleaning intelligence about your brand’s position in the marketplace. By always being willing to interview candidates with in-demand skills you are creating an awareness of your brand and stoking interest for openings down the road.

It's also an invaluable way to get all kinds of information about your place in the marketplace.

• How are you perceived by your user base?
• How does your brand stand up in the marketplace?
• What’s your reputation out in the job market?

Additionally, it allows you to stay current on your competition. If you want to learn how other companies in your sector operate, you have to keep speaking to people on the inside. And who better to learn from than someone who is looking to move on.  

• Where does your company stand against your competition in terms of pay structure, quotas, the tools they use?
• How is the morale of your competitors?
• Are they hiring?
• Are they losing people?
• Do they have a high level of management churn?

Building a fluid picture of your place in the industry is key to staying competitive.

2. Feed Your Pipeline

Even if you have your dream team in place and can’t foresee it changing anytime soon, you have to remember that life happens. People leave, they get promoted or maybe they’re unexpectedly moved to fill a hole in another group. And let’s be honest, not every hire delivers on their potential.

If you don’t have a pipeline of top quality candidates to draw from, then you’re stuck either with a mediocre performer or worse, with an empty desk. And if you’re in sales, you know that a vacancy is costing you not only productivity but is draining your own quota. This is a high price to pay for not planning ahead.

3. Pop Your Filter Bubble To Stay Competitive.

When you look out over the same vista day after day, it’s easy to lose perspective. Just as you might talk to your mentors, attend conferences and keep up with your peers in order to gain new insights into your sector, interviewing candidates allows you to see what’s possible.

It’s easy to get caught up in the mindset that the team you have is the team you’ll always have. But if you are meeting candidates on an ongoing basis, you’ll see that you have options. You don’t have to tough it out with the salesperson who’s struggling to keep up, nor do you have to put up with the cancer in the locker room.

What it really comes down to is the difference between simply filling vacancies as they occur, and engaging in workforce planning. The first model leaves your team exposed and under pressure to cover the workload left behind by a vacancy. But if you always take the time to meet qualified candidates you'll be far more nimble and ready to act when you find yourself with an empty desk.

Job descriptions tend to fall into one of a few categories. There’s the standard which can be a very dry, rote recital of responsibilities and data points. There’s the candy-gram style which was very popular with tech start-ups. Big bright, bold and poppy, filled with the countless perks you might find at the company, these job specs were long on style but short on substance. And then there’s the third, most common type that we see, which we’ll call the Purple Unicorn: hiring managers who have drilled down so specifically that they run the very real risk of missing out on some quality candidates.

We think the gold standard lies somewhere in the middle.

So, what should the ideal job description look like?

Inform

First and foremost your job descriptions need to effectively communicate with candidates the parameters of the open position you’re trying to fill.

And hopefully, they are written with a lot more energy, personality, and life than the sentence I just wrote above.

You need to strike a balance between listing the essential skills and qualities you’re looking for with language that is representative of your company culture. And know that in order to reach the right people, you have to research keywords, convey what the future looks like for your organization, and leave the jargon out.

Inspire

Top candidates have options, lots of them, but what most of them are looking for is, a position where they feel challenged, valued and that taps into their creativity. They also want to work somewhere that shares the same values they do. If you have a big green initiative, that needs to be part and parcel of your job descriptions. If your company does a good deal of charity or volunteer work, that needs to be made evident from the get-go. Be certain to inject enough personality into the description so that candidates can clearly see what makes you unique.

Remember: the goal of any candidate search is to find people who will stick with you for many years to come - let them know who you are, what you can offer, and what you stand for from the very first interaction. (For more tips on recruiting top talent, read here)

Focus on Success

First, include the nitty-gritty

• Title/Position
• Department
• The reporting structure (both up and down)
• Essential Duties
• Salary range
• Essential skills and work experience
• Degree and certification requirements
• Qualities and attributes required to fulfill the position

Second, infuse the description with meaningful details

• If it’s a complex function, break it down into component parts
• Paint a picture of what day-to-day looks like
• Talk projects and problems
• Use original headlines. Ex: If You Are: instead of, Duties & Responsibilities:
• Describe what success looks like.
• And, how will they be measured?
• Think about not only what’s required now, but what are the possibilities down the road.

The description needs to emphasize how your organization can benefit employees’ lives, in both the immediate and long term. Studies have shown that ads that emphasize what a business provides to meet candidates’ needs get 3x more submissions. Those are the kind of numbers you want to attract.

Rely on Your Network

In addition to releasing a job description through your usual channels: HR, your contracted Recruiters, Job Boards, remember to encourage your staff to share it through their professional social networks. Provide social networking links on the description and make it easy for the job to be shared around. And remember, your reputation is your best recruiting tool. Happy and engaged employees are your best brand ambassadors.

The Endgame

A well-written job description is a tool that enables your HR department and/or trusted recruiter to go out and find you the best, most qualified candidates. It needs to tell the story of what it’s like to work at your organization and what long term success means. And finally, it has to leave enough room for your recruiter to bring you candidates that otherwise might not have gotten your attention. You’re looking to attract not only the active candidates but also the passive ones as well.

Job descriptions are an advertisement, remember not to sell them short.

More and more companies have begun using video conferencing to conduct the early stages of the interview screening process. What begun as a trend, has now become an industry standard, but is this really an effective use of a company’s resources? Let’s explore some of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of video interviews from a cost/benefit perspective.  

STRENGTHS

Convenience

The need for two people to be in the same room is eliminated. Hiring managers and candidates both enjoy greater flexibility, meetings no longer have to be confined to the office, and both parties can meet from the comfort of their own office or home. 

Cuts Costs

Handling candidate screening remotely can cut traveling, scheduling, and costs. Money saved can be re-allocated to improving productivity in other sectors of the organization, or towards expansion. Similar to phone interviews, video feed can be one of the most cost effective ways to meet candidates.

WEAKNESSES:

No Face-to-Face Interactions

There’s no better way to get a feel for someone than shaking their hand and sitting across from them. Video can flatten out an interaction, allowing cues you might have picked up in person, to go unseen. When deciding to bring someone into your department, you want to be assured that there’s chemistry and a connection, something you can only fully experience in person.

Feel for the Space

During a face-to-face meeting, candidates are able to get a feel for the environment of the office. Remote meetings cut out the possibility for spontaneous introductions to different team members, while also eliminating the candidate’s opportunity to get a sense of what the office is like. A potential hire's first visit to the office is also one way of seeing if they are a good cultural fit for your organization. 

OPPORTUNITIES

Saves Time

Time is money. Instead of budgeting time to get to and from the physical location, all that is necessary is a block of time in front of a computer. Most importantly, video conferencing reduces the time it takes to fill an open position, as you are able to meet more candidates in a shorter period of time.

Broader Selection

Distance is no longer be an issue for first or second round interviews. You can connect with candidates all over the globe with a touch of a button, allowing you to reach out and discover the hidden potential in unexplored terrains. You don't have to miss out on discovering the final piece to your puzzle because the applicant lives too far away. 

Playback  

One of the prime features embedded in a virtual interview is the ability to re-watch or playback the meeting. After a face-to-face meeting, you are left to rely on memory and notes you took during the conversation. Video conferencing allows you to take a second look to analyze body language, or discover cues that might have slipped past you in the moment. You can dig deeper into the candidate's responses, and you can get more team members involved in the decision process.

THREATS

Glitches

For all of its advantages, technology can sometimes be unreliable. There’s always the possibility for hardware/software problems. Connection is a two way street, so the chances of an interference is doubled, and the wait time can be unpredictable. Lag and delay can both cause interruptions. Hardware problems such as microphone/webcam failures can make communication problematic. With video conferencing you’re buying into the possibility that complications can disrupt an entire interview, setting back your workday.

With the benefits of cutting costs and time, it makes sense to switch over to video conferencing for the early stages of the screening process. 

Related Blogs:

HIRING: HOW TO GET THE PERFECT ORGANIZATIONAL FIT

8 PRO-TIPS TO ACE YOUR PHONE INTERVIEW

IOT SECURITY: PROTECT YOUR COMPANY AND CUSTOMERS 

Everyone wants to hire a Rock Star, aka the perfect candidate. You’re looking for skills, experience and depth of training. But there’s another quality that makes someone stand out, and that’s their ability to communicate.

So here are a few tips on how to improve your ability to find and hire candidates with great people skills.

Awesome Descriptions Drive Traffic

Designing a killer job description is the first way that you’ll start attracting talent with strong interpersonal skills. Be certain to highlight specifically what people skills you’re looking for. Do you need someone to be customer facing? Someone who can deal with complaints well? Or just someone who can work well in the office? Identifying exactly what you require and being clear about it will help attract the brightest candidates..

Resumes With Meat

While a resume helps you find people with the necessary technical skills, it cannot necessarily tell you how proficient a candidate is with people. A resume that touts “good communication skills” isn’t a specific description of the candidate’s soft skills. So, start by looking for specific examples of their ability. Has the candidate headed up a team? Do they cite specific customer facing projects supported by metrics and data? Someone writing “skilled at dealing with a wide variety of people” indicates they’re aware of their ability to work with multiple types of personalities.

Interview (Should) = Reality

The best way to see how a candidate  communicates is to communicate with them. If they say they’re experienced in dealing with difficult customers, look to test that. Stage a mock sales call in which the customer gets angry or confrontational.

Also observe how they communicate with others in your office. Are they able to easily communicate or do they falter and stumble? This is also a good way to see if the candidate, and their communication style, is a good fit with your organizational culture.  

Willingness to Argue

As counterproductive as it sounds, someone who is able to argue effectively can be a great employee to put in front of customers. They can represent your company even in the most difficult settings.Candidates who show they can handle tough situations, and work to defuse even the most tense situation, are the people you want representing your company.

Give them hypothetical arguments to make. Have candidates defend a previous decisions they made in another organization. Point out to them some hypothetical flaws. Ask them what argument they would make if you told them you didn’t think them a fit for the job. How they handle the stress tells you how they’ll handle it in the field.  

Not all Follow Ups are Created Equal

Every candidate should, of course, follow up after an interview. But if you're looking for people skills, look for those who include personal or especially specific information. Do they remember every person they met, from all levels in the company? Doing so is indicative of someone who is detailed oriented, and knows how to make an impression.

People skills are what makes the difference between a competent candidate, and a real rock star. There may be plenty of qualified people out there who meet your technical qualifications, but it’s the great communicator who will help move your business to the next level.

Related Blogs:

HOW TO REEL IN CANDIDATES WITH A KILLER JOB DESCRIPTION

HIRING: HOW TO GET THE PERFECT ORGANIZATIONAL FIT

Having your employees sign a Non-Compet agreement has its advantages and disadvantages. Here are some pros and cons to help you decide whether it benefits your company to keep one in place, or places unnecessary restrictions on you and your employees.

But first, what exactly is a non-compete agreement?

A non-compete agreement is a legal contract that prohibits an employee from working for or becoming a competitor for a certain period of time. 

Noncompete agreements are typically enforced when the relationship between an employer and employee ends and the current employer wants to prevent the employee from competing against them in their next position. 

Pro’s of a Non-Compete Agreement

Employee Retention

Your employees very well might be less susceptible to recruitment offers, as a new position would require them to move or change their role. On the flip side, your competition is less likely to try hiring away your employees if they know there are restrictions on their availability.

Higher employee retention naturally feeds your customer retention rate. When you have greater continuity of personnel, your company is able to provide better service, leading to greater satisfaction. 

Employee Retention = Customer Retention = Healthier bottom line

Singular Offerings

A secure company is a valuable company.  Non-Competes increase the value of your company because they ensure that your intellectual property is secured. Customers and candidates alike value companies that keep proprietary practices in-house and the practice sends a powerful message of security and integrity to potential investors and companies who might be looking to acquire you.

Cons of a Non-Compete Agreement

Makes Recruitment More Difficult

Non-Competes are perceived as a barrier to many candidates. Knowing that leaving your company means either moving, changing industries, or just being unemployed for an amount of time gives potential hires pause. In the current hiring environment, you have to give yourself every available advantage to attract top talent. 

Make Your Competition Look Good

If your competition isn’t using a  NonCompete agreement they may become much more attractive to top performers. When given a choice between your company, and one where they aren’t tied down, most high performers would choose to the freedom the position that offers more flexibility.

It’s a State to State Proposition

The enforcement of these contracts varies wildly across state lines. In 2016 the White House put out a report on Non-Competes showing that some states, such as California, have a history of not enforcing the clauses, while others, such as Florida, tend to side with employers in litigation. Massachusetts recently attempted to pass new legislation to restrict or eliminate Non-Compete Agreements. Depending on where you’re doing business, your ability to even enforce your agreements could be in jeopardy.

A Third Way Forward

If the risks of requiring a Non-Compete are too steep, there is another way. Non-Disclosure agreements provide a level of security to your information and proprietary products without being so restrictive. You get the level of security you need, and your employees get enough freedom to move to another position if and when they need to.

A Non- Compete Agreement may be the closest thing to a win-win you can get.

Everyone wants to hire the perfect employee, but the question is, how is perfect defined? Is the ideal hire the person who has these 3 certifications, and 5 years of experience in one specific role only in a defined vertical? Chances are that’s how you’ve written your job description, but you are limiting your options by not casting a wider net and start looking at so-called “under-qualified” candidates.

Here are 6 key reasons you should be considering candidates who, on the surface, don’t meet all your specs.

1. Under-Qualified Doesn't Mean Unqualified

To clarify, ‘under-qualified’ doesn’t necessarily mean someone who can’t do the job, who doesn’t possess the skills you need. It can also mean someone with years in the workforce in a different vertical. There are incredibly qualified people who, on paper, may not match your job description, but who in practice are perfect for your company. You run the risk of missing out on valuable talent who have the potential to be amazing employees.

2. Different Experience

Just because someone doesn’t have the experience you want, doesn’t mean they don’t have experience. It may turn out that the experience’s they do have could be a boon to your organization, and help them excel in your open role.  

The experiences and skills of such a candidate could provide a new perspective for your organization. Fresh eyes, and new ways of doing things that no one else has could provide varied and more productive activities for your company.

3. Building from the Ground Up

Hiring someone who doesn’t have the skills you are looking for actually provides you with an opportunity. They won’t come into your organization with habits or expectations that things be done a certain way. They’re eager to learn how you do things, and how your industry works. They’ll learn company specific systems and skills, which when combined with the skills that they are bringing, can make for an invaluable addition to your organization.

4. Cost

A component of salary tends to be how much pertinent Less experience means less market value or proven track record, which means a lower starting salary. Of course, they should expect, and you should provide, a higher salary if and when they start to perform at the level. This should hopefully have the added benefit of driving them even harder to prove themselves.

5. More Drive

We know that the most productive employees are those who feel challenged and supported. Chances are that someone who is moving into a new space, who is being trained up and given all the necessary supports to succeed will be a long lasting employee. Remember, you are hiring not only for their qualifications, but also for cultural fit.

6. How to find the good ones

If you are working with an outside recruiter, trust them to know what constitutes a good fit for your company. They have the breadth of experience and contacts to know who has the qualifications you need, even if they don’t have the direct experience you were requiring.

Look for candidates who are excited to get into your field, and understand that they need to prove themselves.

Look to parallel fields, and consider what positions might prepare someone for the transition into your space. A good example of this this is how the music industry acts as a feeder for AV/IT companies.

Looking past the job description can open up many exciting possibilities, and serve to enrich your company with a good deal of dedicated and resourceful talent.

No hiring choice is black and white, there are always options to be weighed. But making the decision to promote from within or recruit externally can feel like a particularly knotty choice. Both options have their merits. But does one make for sounder hiring practices than the other?

Let’s weigh the pros and cons to figure it out

PROMOTING INTERNALLY: The Pros

A Powerful Promise

The promise that your company offers the possibility of internal mobility can be a powerful recruiting tool. It signals to candidates that you are invested in your team and that you have thought about their futures. Employees feel that they have a possible roadmap for growth, which in turn encourages greater loyalty. Ultimately it can enhance your retention rate quite a bit.

Ease the Transition.

Current employees already are familiar with your company culture. They know the rules, the policies and the inner workings of the business. Induction time is erased or greatly reduced, and the hire can get right down to work. Your business saves time, energy and money that would otherwise be expended on onboarding. Those valuable resources can be redirected toward the creation of new positions or saved for another time.

Moral Booster

The promise of promotion boots moral and keeps energy up in the office. When employees know there is an opening, they’ll hone their production and work hard to earn a spot on the next level.

The Bottom Line.

Finally, promoting from within your business is far less costly. You’ll save on recruiter fees, background checks, and advertising. Money in your pocket.

Sounds like a no brainer, right? Well, hold on, here comes the other side of the coin.

PROMOTING INTERNALLY: The Cons

Conflicts Abound

Opening up an internal search might energize your employees, but what happens to the candidates who don’t get the new job? Any responsible and well-executed internal search is going to include complete vetting of the candidates. The process can easily lead to increased dissatisfaction and eventual resignations. It’s one thing to interview for a position at a new firm and not get it, but it’s quite another thing to be turned down by your current employer for a promotion. These are employees who have already gotten a taste of the possibility, if you can’t fulfill it, they’ll look elsewhere.

Skeletons Have Legs

Everyone makes mistakes -- it’s what helps us grow. But some mistakes are hard to live down or move past within the company. The story of how Tim tripped at a luncheon and spilled a cup of coffee in the CFO’s lap, the time Phil blew the sales luncheon because he was fighting a stomach bug. These stories have legs, and like other skeletons in our closets, that have a habit of following us around.  Stories linger, and so do reputations -- it may be hard for your other employees to see their peer in a new light.

Stagnation

There’s something to be said for being too familiar with company culture, being too close to what goes on. When you move someone new into a management position you’re putting them there because of the ideas and the energy they bring. It’s hard to push innovation when someone is too familiar, or too comfortable with how things have always been.

Bad Habits Can’t Be Promoted Away

Just as it would be incredibly unwise to marry someone in the hopes that their bad habits will magically change after the wedding, so too you can’t promote bad habits away. More responsibility will only enhance weaknesses and shine a spotlight on difficulties.

EXTERNAL HIRE: The Pros

Fresh Perspective

Businesses grow and prosper when the spirit of innovation is encouraged and the limits of imagination are pushed. Getting a fresh pair of eyes on your business is one of the best ways to get ideas flowing and energy moving. Bringing in an outside hire is one of the best ways to infuse your department or company as a whole with new ideas.

Pick From the Best In The Business

When you contract with an outside recruiter, they are looking not only at people who are already in the job market, but also talent who haven’t thought about making a move yet. Through their connections and networks, recruiters pre-screen for the best and most qualified talent, bringing you a wealth of talented people who might not otherwise have been attracted to your job opening.

Create Diversity

Recruiting outside talent enables you to think outside the box. You will be pulling from a worldwide talent pool, a vast pool of talent, ability, and connections.

Beat the Competition

Non-compete clauses aside, external recruiting allows you to pick from the best talent in the industry.

EXTERNAL HIRE: The Cons

Higher Costs.

An external higher will cost you not only in recruiting fees, but, according to a 2012 study by Wharton management professor, Matthew Bidwell, salary will be on average 18-20% higher than an internal promotion. They are also at a higher risk of being let go in the first 18 months. However, when an external hire makes it past the 2-year mark, they are more likely to remain in your employ for the long term.

Slower Onboarding

Any new hire is going to require training, but someone new to the company or even the sector is going to require an investment of time and money to train them up on systems, processes, and protocol. In the first year and external hire will be bound to have lower productivity than an internal promotion -- about 20% lower.

HOW TO DECIDE

Ultimately you have to look at your business and the position in order to determine which hiring model is going to work best for you. If you are not in the position to spend the resources on training, and if your company culture cannot support or does not demand much innovation, then you are better off developing talent within the company. However, if you have a stable base, and have systems in place that support training and development, then look outside -- you’ll have a much wider pool of talent to pull from.