If we have learned anything over the last six months, we have learned this: It’s high time for hiring managers to start thinking untraditionally when filling positions within their organization. We call it “Hiring Outside of the Box.”
We see it all over — sign on bonuses, altered pay structures, revisiting past requirements for employment — but you will find there are many additional benefits to hiring outside of the traditional candidate pool.
Different Perspectives: Employees with traditional background and similar skill sets yield predictable results. Predictability is good on some level but it can be limiting as well. It is important to focus on skills rather than solely on a background that matches a specific position. Bottom line: skills transfer.
Hiring an individual with a different background or perhaps in a different field altogether can spark creativity and cultivate energy within the organization. Those individuals do not come in with a pre-conceived notion as to how the role should be performed because that is the way it always has been done. They can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas.
Experience Isn’t Everything: With the job market the way it is today, you have to pay a premium for experience. Looking at alternatives, it may be worth it to hire somebody teachable and eager to prove themselves and train to the needs of the position.
Drive vs. Expectation: It sounds safer to hire someone with more experience; however, it could stifle or mute the potential for both the employee and the employer. The drive to succeed from a non-traditional hire could outweigh the benefits you receive from an experienced candidate. Life experience and the inner passion to contribute sometimes outweigh that of the business mindset and could prove valuable to your team.
Now is the perfect time to reevaluate your hiring practices. Rethinking them can lead to measurable results.
