Ten More Reasons Why You Can't Fill Jobs

My last article on Ten Reasons Why You Can't Fill Jobs, And What You Can Do To Change This certainly hit a chord. This piece was one of my most read articles and with good reason. The article was on target, succinct and powerful and caught the eye of many leaders who asked for more.

Here are ten more reasons you can’t fill jobs, and what you can do to change this.

1. You don’t know what job you are really trying to fill. Stop recycling old job descriptions that have been out of style for years now and instead, take a closer look at the results you’d like this person to achieve. Then work backwards to put together a results description that will result in a great hire, the first time around.

1. You’re taking too long to promote people. The best people for the job are often those who are already in the company. Give your internal people a chance to grow with your organization. Look inside, before turning your attention to the outside pool of talent.

1. You’re hiring based on experience, rather than potential. It’s great to have a wish list a mile long, but in a hot applicant market, it’s unlikely you’ll ever make hire if you stick to your unrealistic list. Instead, seek people with potential.

1. You’re ignoring the underemployed. Admit it. You look at candidates differently, especially those with college degrees, when their resumes indicate they are currently working full-time as a barista or retail associate. A common mistake that is being made by many. Embrace this sector of the workforce. They will arrive at your workplace fully prepared to show up every day (and on time) and most grateful for the opportunity that you have just given them to apply their enthusiasm and knowledge to your business.

1. You’re playing bait and switch with candidates. Prospective employees are told they will be meeting with a VP or GM and instead, they wind up meeting with someone who has little or no hiring authority. You’ve broken the golden rule of treating others, as you would like to be treated. How would you feel if you took a day off from work to meet with a VP only to find that upon arrival, you had been delegated down several levels? Be sure your senior level employees understand that hiring is job number one and that this type of behavior is not acceptable.

1. Applying for a job with your company is a real turn off. If it takes more than ten minutes to complete the online job application or the one you give to all candidates, then it’s taking way too long. Instead, use an abbreviated application that will provide you with what you need to know in order to decide if a candidate is worth going the next step for. You can always have the candidate complete the full application if you mutually agree it makes sense to move forward together.

1. Your offers are an insult. I’m sure you can purchase plenty of candidates “on sale,” however is this really in your best interest? For example, if I’m paying a premium for service, then I expect five-star service. Underpaid workers are far less likely to deliver high levels of service than those who feel they are adequately compensated. Pay people what you believe they are worth and be sure your first offer is your best offer.

1. You don’t really want to hire someone. You are going through the motions to show your staff you are supporting them, but you really don’t want to incur the expense of another person on your payroll. You figure if you delay as long as you can, they’ll forget that you are actually attempting to hire someone. Employees are smart. They’ll catch onto this game quickly and will be packing their bags as soon as they realize your true intentions. In the mean time, these same overworked employees will unknowingly be damaging your brand. If you say you are going to hire someone, than do what you say you will do. Anything less than that is a lie.

1. You’re waiting for perfection to walk in the room. You are waiting for the perfect candidate to walk in the room, yet there is no thing as a perfect candidate. There are a lot of great candidates out there that can easily do the job that you are asking them to do. Admittedly, some may require a bit of smoothing around the edges or further development to ensure they are able to sufficiently complete every task that is on your list. Forget perfection and instead hire someone who has most of the attributes that you are seeking.

1. You are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin. You are not alone. Hiring the right people for your firm requires considerable thought. Of course being paralyzed and doing nothing to advance your cause isn’t very helpful either. Begin by picking up the phone and asking for help. I promise you’ll be glad you did.

? Matuson Consulting, 2015. All Rights Reserved.

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Bio:

Roberta Matuson, The Talent Maximizer? and President of Matuson Consulting, helps organizations achieve dramatic growth and market leadership through the maximization of talent. Learn more about her latest book Talent Magnetism: How to Build a Workplace That Attracts and Keeps the Best and her bestselling book, Suddenly in Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around. Sign up to receive her free newsletter, The Talent Maximizer. Follow her on Twitter.