The Complete Guide to Hiring Candidates that Aren't an Exact Match

Shefali Vasave | November 30, 2021 | 224 views

Interview News

What if Your Perfect Candidate Isn't Out There?

The idea of hiring someone perfect for the job sounds like a dream come true. But what if your perfect candidate isn't out there?

There are many reasons why you may not find the ideal candidate. Maybe they're hiding in plain sight, or maybe you're just trying to find something that doesn't exist.

On the other hand, they are working for your competitor and just aren't looking for new opportunities, or maybe they are in a completely different field of work. Either way, it's time to rethink your process and techniques for hiring employees when a candidate is not a 100% match.

Should You Be Open to Candidates That Aren't an Exact Match?

The best recruiting process comes down to three key ingredients - the right people, the proper process, and the right technology. The wrong people will lead you astray; the wrong process will leave you spinning your wheels; and without good technology, you'll be stuck in the dark ages. But is everything this black and white?

The answer to this question depends on the company you are hiring for and the type of industry. For example, suppose you are a startup company looking for a marketing executive. In that case, it may be a good idea to have a more open attitude towards considering people who don't have the exact skill-set.

Now that companies have the remote infrastructure in place, they are focusing on hiring the best people, not just the most local. It’s exciting!

- Kyle Lacy, CMO at Lessonly

However, if you are an established company in an industry such as law firms and banks, you would want to make sure that person has all the necessary skills and experience. Yet, many hiring managers overlook a good-fit candidate because they might be someone with a different cultural background, a different type of experience, or simply a personality that may not seem best suited for their role at first glance. 

3 Reasons Why It's Worth Hiring Employees Who Aren't the Exact Fit

Hiring the wrong candidate could indeed be an expensive mistake. Candidates who aren't an exact match should be viewed cautiously; when hiring managers do this, they need to provide clear guidelines about expectations and job requirements to help narrow down their search.

After all, it costs companies 30% of a bad hire's first-year salary. But doesn't this mean every candidate must be a 100% match? After all, vacant positions cost companies in the U.S. millions of dollars every year. It's worth hiring new employees who aren't the right fit because they can often impact other ways. For example, they may be able to teach skills that you need to your other employees, or they may be able to pick up new skills on the job.

Teaching skills: Employees who don't work out for one job but excel in another can share their skills with your organization and help transfer knowledge and expertise from one area to another.
They're more motivated than other candidates: If an individual doesn't feel like they're 100% perfect, they'll often work harder than someone who does seem like the perfect match. So having self-motivated employees is far more helpful than having a 100% skill match.

Beyond the technical skills, soft skills like communication, work ethics, and attitude are essential to doing a job. In some cases, someone who is maybe a 70% match in the technical aspects but comes with other skills will be more efficient. This is because they will learn ad unlearn things to succeed in their job.


How to Ensure You Hire the Right Candidate Without Compromising Your Company's Culture or Values

A company's culture reflects its values. When someone says a candidate is an excellent cultural fit, it often means they are easy to hang around and hang out with. However, organizations must be careful in making this a core requirement. As the adage goes, "birds of a feather flock together," people are often attracted to others who share the same background. This could hamper your efforts to be a diverse and inclusive workplace. This also means that cultural fit need not be held as a high standard. People have a way of fitting in and aligning with your values once they get settled in their roles. You must ensure that the skills and presence they bring to the table align mostly with your company culture.


Conclusion: Hiring Shouldn't be Just Based on a Perfect Match to the Job Description

You can find someone that may not be perfect but is good enough, and that is fine. It benefits your organization in several ways. Learning opportunities are one of the most significant factors that contribute to employee retention. You always risk hiring someone perfect and risk them burning out from overwork. They find their role less stimulating and end up leaving.

Providing an opportunity to someone who isn't a complete match creates the perception that your organization is invested in your employees. You are dedicated to their growth and understand that there is a learning curve. You can also look forward to being in a workplace where your 60% or even 70% match becomes a 100% match for your organization.


Frequently Asked Questions


What are the challenges of hiring a candidate that isn't an exact match?

The challenge of hiring a candidate that doesn't match your needs is that it's harder to predict their performance since they're not an exact fit. This can be especially problematic when you're trying to fill a specialized role, and the talent pool isn't significant.


How can hiring managers overcome the challenges of not being able to find the perfect candidate?

One of the best ways is to find a perfect match candidate and then train them to become a perfect fit.


How does a candidate's personality affect their work?

Some people have a "get-it-done" attitude, and others need a lot of hand-holding. Your best bet is to identify what type of personality works better for the position you're looking for and hire accordingly.

Spotlight

Beacon Hill Staffing Group

Beacon Hill Staffing Group was founded to set a new standard in search, career placement and flexible staffing. Our niche brands provide direct hire, executive search, temporary staffing, contract consulting and temp/contract-to-hire solutions to emerging growth companies and the Fortune 500 across market sectors, career specialties/disciplines and industries. Over time, office locations, specialty practice areas and service offerings will be added to address ever changing constituent needs.

OTHER ARTICLES
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Listen and act: how to get employee experience management right

Article | February 24, 2022

As the science behind employee engagement evolves, it’s become clear just how much businesses can gain from a happy and involved workforce. From improved performance, to reduced attrition, increased revenue and even a better customer experience, employee engagement is at the heart of business growth. Given these benefits, it’s no surprise that the role of HR departments is moving beyond just managing people and towards managing experiences.

Read More
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

5 Things HR Can Do To Improve Employee Output

Article | March 3, 2022

Employees are companies most valuable asset – Without the talent, knowledge and expertise those employed bring to an organisation, it’s safe to say that the business world would be a very different landscape. Human Resources is often held responsible for owning the employee value strategy, where we’re now embracing tremendous improvements in how the value that employees bring, can be achieved. Here we’ll explore how data analysis, learning & development, employee engagement, 360 feedback and flexibility all offer a significant opportunity to improve employee output within every organisation in 2020.

Read More
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

6 Reasons To Invest In Employee Onboarding In Your Organization

Article | August 19, 2022

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. This holds particularly true when it comes to employee onboarding. It's a new hire's introduction to the organization and the experience has a significant impact on employee retention. Unfortunately, that's why it's rare to see many employees with years of tenure. Research by Future Workplace found that 91% of Millennials expect to stay in a job for less than 3 years. Companies lose 25% of all new employees within the first year, according to SHRM, but almost 70% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for 3 years if they experienced great onboarding.

Read More

Great training is key to creating a positive employee experience

Article | February 10, 2020

You’d love to have employees working for you who are the type that always want to learn new things and grow, right? Right. Engaged employees spend more of their time working to improve their performance through training and development. They are the type of workers every company wants, and they expect their employers to create a positive experience for them by matching their ambition with effective training. For firms and HR professionals trying to create a positive employee experience, it’s essential that your team of in-house trainers is ready to lead the way.

Read More

Spotlight

Beacon Hill Staffing Group

Beacon Hill Staffing Group was founded to set a new standard in search, career placement and flexible staffing. Our niche brands provide direct hire, executive search, temporary staffing, contract consulting and temp/contract-to-hire solutions to emerging growth companies and the Fortune 500 across market sectors, career specialties/disciplines and industries. Over time, office locations, specialty practice areas and service offerings will be added to address ever changing constituent needs.

Related News

HR ANALYTICS, WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

MMC Selects RingCentral’s Cloud Communications Solutions to Improve Customer Experience and Streamline Employee Workflows

MMC | March 17, 2023

MMC, Inc., a Human Resources Outsourcing company (HRO), today announced it has replaced its on-premise legacy communications systems with RingCentral, Inc. (NYSE: RNG), a leading provider of global enterprise cloud communications, video meetings, collaboration, and contact center solutions, to drive an improved client experience, streamline employee workflows, and deliver IT cost savings. After migrating 3,000 of its employees to RingCentral MVP® (Message Video Phone™), MMC realized substantial savings on its business communications costs. Known for its expertise in HR outsourcing, payroll, benefits administration, and other business processes, MMC was looking for a cloud solution that could provide greater mobility for its employees and would allow them to more efficiently connect and communicate with clients. By implementing RingCentral MVP, they have enabled employees to increase productivity and efficiency through the use of a cloud-based business phone service, video conferencing, digital fax, and SMS–on any device from virtually any location. As a result, MMC has streamlined employee workflows, increased accessibility to clients, and empowered remote workers. “What sets us apart from the larger competitors is our white glove service delivery. We care about our customers’ experience and go that extra mile to ensure the highest service delivery possible. This means being accessible to clients when they have questions, concerns, or require assistance,” said Raul Terrazas, manager of information technology at MMC. “With RingCentral, we are now able to seamlessly communicate with clients from virtually anywhere using our office phone, mobile, or PC. Given how many employee workflows we’ve been able to improve across our company, how much visibility we’ve gained into our client communications, and how much money we’ve saved — not to mention how effortless the implementation itself was — my only regret is not migrating MMC to RingCentral sooner.” In the company’s next unified communications transformation phase, MMC’s IT team plans to roll out RingCentral MVP to their sales and support teams and optimize those operations with the RingCentral for Salesforce integration. This integration will enable them to consolidate platforms for the company’s agents, reduce the number of vendor relationships for Terrazas’ team to manage, and streamline agent workflows for added speed and efficiency. “We are thrilled to work with MMC on their cloud transformation—leveraging the strengths of our unified communications platform,” said Carson Hostetter, chief revenue officer at RingCentral. “By shifting to RingCentral, MMC is driving greater operational efficiencies and improvements in both customer and employee experiences.” About MMC California-based Human Resources Outsourcing company MMC was established over 40 years ago for the purpose of providing HR Outsourcing & Consulting solutions to improve business performance. By outsourcing HR, you will be cutting costs, lowering risk, and better positioning your company for success. As the top HR Outsourcing service provider for over 8,500 employees nationwide, MMC has learned that there is no cookie-cutter approach when it comes to resolving workplace concerns. MMC takes a special interest in assuring each client’s success while providing a hands-on approach to exponential growth with your company. About RingCentral RingCentral, Inc. (NYSE: RNG) is a leading provider of business cloud communications and contact center solutions based on its powerful Message Video Phone™  (MVP®) global platform. More flexible and cost-effective than legacy on-premises PBX and video conferencing systems, RingCentral® empowers modern mobile and distributed workforces to communicate, collaborate, and connect via any mode, device, and device location. RingCentral offers three essential products in its portfolio, including RingCentral MVP®, a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform including team messaging, video meetings, and cloud phone system; RingCentral Video®, the company's video meetings solution with team messaging that enables Smart Video Meetings™; and RingCentral Contact Center™ solutions. RingCentral's open platform integrates with leading third-party business applications and allows customers to customize business workflows easily. RingCentral is headquartered in Belmont, California, and has offices worldwide.

Read More

HR PRACTICE, RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Avionté Launches Mobile-Enabled Talent Onboarding Solution

Avionte Staffing Software | March 15, 2023

Avionté, a pioneer in enterprise staffing, hiring, and talent enablement software, recently introduced Avionté 24/7 ONBOARDING. It is a comprehensive, mobile-enabled onboarding solution that enables talent to perform all onboarding tasks through their smartphone while delivering real-time updates to recruiters via the AviontéBold staffing platform. Using the Avionté 24/7 Mobile app, talent can audit forms, attach proof of identification and credentials, and electronically sign all required documents. In addition, all records are automatically populated with the talent's personal information, creating a streamlined user experience. Avionté's mobile onboarding solution streamlines workflows between talent and recruiters. With AviontéBOLD ATS capabilities, recruiters can: Enable custom onboarding workflows for each employer and job assignment Preconfigure onboarding workflows for repetitive use at scale Get real-time updates on talent and task completion Automate workflows using a selectable task menu that includes E-Verify, tax documents, and other forms needing employee signatures Set automated reminders and notifications for talent Separate workflow stages to support digital and traditional talent markets Talent receives a smartphone notification when an onboarding workflow begins and can complete all tasks on their phone. The flexible 24/7 ONBOARDING lets talent save incomplete workflows and finish later, and they can also use the BOLD portal to complete onboarding tasks, with recruiters helping as needed. About Avionte Staffing Software Avionté is a leader in the enterprise staffing and recruiting software solutions market. Focusing on innovation, it offers a robust platform for light industrial, IT, clerical, healthcare, and professional staffing firms to maximize profits and productivity. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, the company has around 25,000 users and 1,000 customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. In addition, its division WorkN is the premier candidate experience technology provider to the staffing industry, providing a mobile talent enablement app, combined with its powerful billing, ATS, and payroll solutions, to help firms scale their businesses.

Read More

TALENT ACQUISITION, RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Hirewell Launches New Website Showcasing Its Innovative Approach to Hiring

Hirewell | February 23, 2023

Human resources solution provider, Hirewell has recently announced the launch of their new website and rebranding, which comes after a major transformation following a $21MM investment by the multinational investment group, Prytek. During this transformation, Hirewell expanded its services to include supply chain and insurance recruiting, acquired companies such as Sourcewell, Rainmakers, and TritonExec, and developed next-generation software to cater to various hiring needs. To showcase their progress, Hirewell revamped their website with a modern look and introduced a new logo, font, and colors, while retaining their brand equity since 2001. Their new messaging, which is concise, punchy, and enjoyable to read, represents what Hirewell means to their clients and what differentiates them from others. Furthermore, the new photography features Hirewell's real employees instead of generic stock photos, reflecting their most important asset. The revamped website also features an organized structure, making it easy to navigate and understand, which is what sets Hirewell apart. Hirewell offers managed recruiting, ondemand recruiting, and interim talent recruitment services in technology, HR, marketing, sales, finance and accounting, real estate, supply chain, insurance and executive search. Matt Massucci, CEO and Founder of Hirewell, said, "We've been on a twenty-year journey to disrupt the recruiting industry. We're excited to launch our new website, which highlights our diverse talent solutions, our technology, and the people that bring those solutions to life." (Source – CISION PR Newswire) About Hirewell Hirewell is a provider of talent solutions that operates globally. Using a modern approach to hiring, companies can achieve their desired image with the help of Hirewell. By utilizing a combination of strategy, dependable recruiters, and advanced recruitment technology, Hirewell is equipped to fulfill any hiring need that may arise. The firm’s areas of expertise include technology, HR, marketing, sales, finance & accounting, real estate, supply chain, insurance, and executive roles. Additionally, Hirewell offers technology products that companies can use on their own. As a part of Prytek's Talent Solutions Division, Hirewell aligns with Prytek's mission to make a significant impact on the industry and clients by creating vertically-integrated value chains.

Read More

HR ANALYTICS, WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

MMC Selects RingCentral’s Cloud Communications Solutions to Improve Customer Experience and Streamline Employee Workflows

MMC | March 17, 2023

MMC, Inc., a Human Resources Outsourcing company (HRO), today announced it has replaced its on-premise legacy communications systems with RingCentral, Inc. (NYSE: RNG), a leading provider of global enterprise cloud communications, video meetings, collaboration, and contact center solutions, to drive an improved client experience, streamline employee workflows, and deliver IT cost savings. After migrating 3,000 of its employees to RingCentral MVP® (Message Video Phone™), MMC realized substantial savings on its business communications costs. Known for its expertise in HR outsourcing, payroll, benefits administration, and other business processes, MMC was looking for a cloud solution that could provide greater mobility for its employees and would allow them to more efficiently connect and communicate with clients. By implementing RingCentral MVP, they have enabled employees to increase productivity and efficiency through the use of a cloud-based business phone service, video conferencing, digital fax, and SMS–on any device from virtually any location. As a result, MMC has streamlined employee workflows, increased accessibility to clients, and empowered remote workers. “What sets us apart from the larger competitors is our white glove service delivery. We care about our customers’ experience and go that extra mile to ensure the highest service delivery possible. This means being accessible to clients when they have questions, concerns, or require assistance,” said Raul Terrazas, manager of information technology at MMC. “With RingCentral, we are now able to seamlessly communicate with clients from virtually anywhere using our office phone, mobile, or PC. Given how many employee workflows we’ve been able to improve across our company, how much visibility we’ve gained into our client communications, and how much money we’ve saved — not to mention how effortless the implementation itself was — my only regret is not migrating MMC to RingCentral sooner.” In the company’s next unified communications transformation phase, MMC’s IT team plans to roll out RingCentral MVP to their sales and support teams and optimize those operations with the RingCentral for Salesforce integration. This integration will enable them to consolidate platforms for the company’s agents, reduce the number of vendor relationships for Terrazas’ team to manage, and streamline agent workflows for added speed and efficiency. “We are thrilled to work with MMC on their cloud transformation—leveraging the strengths of our unified communications platform,” said Carson Hostetter, chief revenue officer at RingCentral. “By shifting to RingCentral, MMC is driving greater operational efficiencies and improvements in both customer and employee experiences.” About MMC California-based Human Resources Outsourcing company MMC was established over 40 years ago for the purpose of providing HR Outsourcing & Consulting solutions to improve business performance. By outsourcing HR, you will be cutting costs, lowering risk, and better positioning your company for success. As the top HR Outsourcing service provider for over 8,500 employees nationwide, MMC has learned that there is no cookie-cutter approach when it comes to resolving workplace concerns. MMC takes a special interest in assuring each client’s success while providing a hands-on approach to exponential growth with your company. About RingCentral RingCentral, Inc. (NYSE: RNG) is a leading provider of business cloud communications and contact center solutions based on its powerful Message Video Phone™  (MVP®) global platform. More flexible and cost-effective than legacy on-premises PBX and video conferencing systems, RingCentral® empowers modern mobile and distributed workforces to communicate, collaborate, and connect via any mode, device, and device location. RingCentral offers three essential products in its portfolio, including RingCentral MVP®, a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform including team messaging, video meetings, and cloud phone system; RingCentral Video®, the company's video meetings solution with team messaging that enables Smart Video Meetings™; and RingCentral Contact Center™ solutions. RingCentral's open platform integrates with leading third-party business applications and allows customers to customize business workflows easily. RingCentral is headquartered in Belmont, California, and has offices worldwide.

Read More

HR PRACTICE, RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Avionté Launches Mobile-Enabled Talent Onboarding Solution

Avionte Staffing Software | March 15, 2023

Avionté, a pioneer in enterprise staffing, hiring, and talent enablement software, recently introduced Avionté 24/7 ONBOARDING. It is a comprehensive, mobile-enabled onboarding solution that enables talent to perform all onboarding tasks through their smartphone while delivering real-time updates to recruiters via the AviontéBold staffing platform. Using the Avionté 24/7 Mobile app, talent can audit forms, attach proof of identification and credentials, and electronically sign all required documents. In addition, all records are automatically populated with the talent's personal information, creating a streamlined user experience. Avionté's mobile onboarding solution streamlines workflows between talent and recruiters. With AviontéBOLD ATS capabilities, recruiters can: Enable custom onboarding workflows for each employer and job assignment Preconfigure onboarding workflows for repetitive use at scale Get real-time updates on talent and task completion Automate workflows using a selectable task menu that includes E-Verify, tax documents, and other forms needing employee signatures Set automated reminders and notifications for talent Separate workflow stages to support digital and traditional talent markets Talent receives a smartphone notification when an onboarding workflow begins and can complete all tasks on their phone. The flexible 24/7 ONBOARDING lets talent save incomplete workflows and finish later, and they can also use the BOLD portal to complete onboarding tasks, with recruiters helping as needed. About Avionte Staffing Software Avionté is a leader in the enterprise staffing and recruiting software solutions market. Focusing on innovation, it offers a robust platform for light industrial, IT, clerical, healthcare, and professional staffing firms to maximize profits and productivity. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, the company has around 25,000 users and 1,000 customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. In addition, its division WorkN is the premier candidate experience technology provider to the staffing industry, providing a mobile talent enablement app, combined with its powerful billing, ATS, and payroll solutions, to help firms scale their businesses.

Read More

TALENT ACQUISITION, RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Hirewell Launches New Website Showcasing Its Innovative Approach to Hiring

Hirewell | February 23, 2023

Human resources solution provider, Hirewell has recently announced the launch of their new website and rebranding, which comes after a major transformation following a $21MM investment by the multinational investment group, Prytek. During this transformation, Hirewell expanded its services to include supply chain and insurance recruiting, acquired companies such as Sourcewell, Rainmakers, and TritonExec, and developed next-generation software to cater to various hiring needs. To showcase their progress, Hirewell revamped their website with a modern look and introduced a new logo, font, and colors, while retaining their brand equity since 2001. Their new messaging, which is concise, punchy, and enjoyable to read, represents what Hirewell means to their clients and what differentiates them from others. Furthermore, the new photography features Hirewell's real employees instead of generic stock photos, reflecting their most important asset. The revamped website also features an organized structure, making it easy to navigate and understand, which is what sets Hirewell apart. Hirewell offers managed recruiting, ondemand recruiting, and interim talent recruitment services in technology, HR, marketing, sales, finance and accounting, real estate, supply chain, insurance and executive search. Matt Massucci, CEO and Founder of Hirewell, said, "We've been on a twenty-year journey to disrupt the recruiting industry. We're excited to launch our new website, which highlights our diverse talent solutions, our technology, and the people that bring those solutions to life." (Source – CISION PR Newswire) About Hirewell Hirewell is a provider of talent solutions that operates globally. Using a modern approach to hiring, companies can achieve their desired image with the help of Hirewell. By utilizing a combination of strategy, dependable recruiters, and advanced recruitment technology, Hirewell is equipped to fulfill any hiring need that may arise. The firm’s areas of expertise include technology, HR, marketing, sales, finance & accounting, real estate, supply chain, insurance, and executive roles. Additionally, Hirewell offers technology products that companies can use on their own. As a part of Prytek's Talent Solutions Division, Hirewell aligns with Prytek's mission to make a significant impact on the industry and clients by creating vertically-integrated value chains.

Read More

Events