This blog entry is part three in Jacobson’s Insurance Recruitment and Selection series, which provides insights into updated recruitment and selection processes and strategies for the modern workplace.
So your organization needs to fill an open position? Before you kick start your recruitment process, it is vital that you develop a blueprint for the ideal candidate. Are there specific skills required to be successful in the role? Does your organization have core values that it seeks in all job candidates? Do personality and interpersonal relationships come into play?
Understanding the answers to these questions is key in making the right candidate selection. Today, more than three-quarters of all employee turnover is the result of poor hiring decisions. Bad hires are a drain on an organization’s time, resources and energy and can be avoided by developing an effective blueprint for evaluating potential candidates.
In today’s rapidly evolving recruitment market, employers must rethink the way they evaluate their potential pool of job candidates. Often, organizations focus on background experience and overlook skills and abilities. For insurers, who face an increasingly shallow talent pool and need to expand their recruitment outside of the industry, this broader assessment will open up a wider range of candidates. While background is certainly important, often a candidate’s skills and abilities will play a larger role in determining if they are a good fit. Technical acumen and interpersonal skills will often be more important than having two years of experience with an insurance company.
Organizations should put together a list of necessary skills and characteristics they feel are vital to success in the particular position. It is important to note that industry knowledge can be acquired but not having the core skills and abilities can be difficult to remedy. This targeted list of fundamental characteristics will allow your organization to focus its search and pinpoint candidates who best fit your needs.
In addition, thought should be paid to personality characteristics and core values. Organizations may want to consider utilizing behavioral interview tactics, such as providing candidates with a specific on-the-job scenario to role-play, in order to gauge whether their response is in line with your organization’s expectations. Consider bringing in additional team members who would work closely with this individual to see if personalities align. Having a team that can work well together is necessary for success and screening out personalities that are not aligned is essential to developing this dynamic.
In today’s fast-paced recruiting environment, identifying the “right” candidate is vital. Developing a strategic blueprint enables your organization to highlight the essential skills, characteristics and experiences that are required to be successful. This recruitment roadmap is key to avoiding the bad hire pitfalls that so many organizations experience.