Five Overlooked Places To Search For The Perfect Employee
Hiring the right person for a job frequently demands that you look outside the box. No longer is it enough to source candidates as a reactive endeavor. Today’s businesses should be proactively forming talent pools with qualified candidates available and waiting for the perfect fit. Take a look at five undervalued and often overlooked talent pools:
People with Disabilities
Candidates with disabilities bring a perspective to the table that able bodied workers might not. They also bring diversity. They frequently have a tenacity and willingness to persevere that inspires creative problem solving, all of which can translate to added benefits for companies willing to make accommodations in the beginning.
Seniors
Let’s face it: No one’s getting any younger. And in today’s economy, where the age of retirement continues to rise, companies are missing out if they are neglecting to consider workers over the age of 55. These older workers can bring a wealth of experience to an organization and are often strikingly loyal once given an opportunity to remain productive.
Customers
You already know they’re interested in your business because they’re buying what you’re selling. Customers can be a great resource for future growth.
People You Already Employ
Sometimes it’s easy to overlook what’s right in front of you. Don’t make that mistake. Often current employees are some of the best employees. You already know their strengths because they have proven track records. Don’t make it easy for top internal candidates to fear reprisal should they seek another internal position. Look for people your company already know and trust. You can even look to your subsidiaries and partners overseas. (Just make sure you check with an experienced H-1B attorney should you decide to move them to the United States.)
Alumni
Like current employees, your past employees can be extremely worthwhile considerations for future hires, especially if you make it a point to keep on good terms with them during their absence. Unlike in the past, today’s technologies (like social media networks) provide easy ways to stay connected to former employees. Should a potential opportunity match a past worker’s experience, companies can easily touch base with him or her. These “boomerangs” (people who return to their former positions) are usually easier to recruit because they understand the company culture, have already been through a vetting process and likely know that despite your company’s faults, the grass isn’t necessarily greener anywhere else.
Tapping into underappreciated talent pools can sometimes yield surprising results. Before your next hire, think about how you can maximize the talents of some of these groups.
