Hiring Managers Find Talent Following These Steps

Employers, recruiters and hiring managers use several techniques to find talent, narrow down a huge field of potential employees and hire the ideal candidate. Technology helps the process, yet companies still use tried-and-true methods to gauge someone's personality, intangible traits and responses to surprises.

Hiring managers typically use a five-step process that sums up their push to find talent. Once the initial candidate pool narrows down, the methods used become more personal, time-consuming, detail-oriented and introspective on the part of both the candidate and the employer.

Step 1: Check Resume for Job History and Skill Set

A cursory glance at a resume eliminates job hoppers who spend less than a year at several positions. Although job hopping has become the new norm for a high percentage of millennials looking for the right fit, working at several companies in one year remains too risky of a hire as companies try to find talent. Younger workers typically spend less than three years at one job. Looking over a resume also weeds out people who lack necessary skills. A closer look at a resume occurs after applicant tracking software ranks the candidates based on automated keyword searches.

Step 2: Examine Resume for Intangibles

Intangible personality traits mentioned on paper may become a tipping point toward landing an interview. Employers may find talent based on travel experiences, making presentations to large groups, dedication to a volunteer effort or skills outside of the workplace environment.

Step 3: Look at Social Media Accounts

Every job candidate should expect employers to search social media posts to discover a potential worker's personality away from work. Vitriolic Twitter posts, rants about drinking binges or racy photos may turn off employers.

Step 4: Gauge Someone's Attitude in an Interview

A potential employee should focus completely on the interview. This means no texting, deactivating the cellphone, paying attention and no fidgeting. Face time represents a great way to gauge if someone fits into the company culture. Beyond skills, great references and a fantastic work ethic, companies want to find talent that ascribes to what the firm means as a brand. Recruiters and HR managers should ask questions relating to company culture, such as working extra hours, telecommuting, business casual attire or customer service principles. Fitting in well with a company culture remains one of the most important intangibles as employers seek people willing to go the extra mile.

Step 5: Train the Proper Person

After a candidate accepts the position, companies must train the correct person. This probationary period lets employers further gauge someone's work ethic, personality and fit. Training time also shows how well someone wants to learn a new way of doing things.

Companies may take a few weeks to find talent, and potential employees can expect longer hiring times commensurate with higher salaries. Employees should keep the basic hiring process in mind when ironing out the details of a resume, cover letter and interview techniques.

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