I’m always interested to see how specific certain “want ads” are. Job descriptions often require proficiency with industry-particular software, very narrow spectrums of knowledge in very explicit areas, and familiarity with items that apply to details of a job’s tasks, rather than focusing on broader qualities and skill sets in an individual that nurture a long-term relationship with room for growth, innovation and a beneficial contribution to the organization. Organizations can get caught up in specific minutiae, forgetting that every business has a singular culture and needs that can be quickly learned.
Therefore their preferred candidate may be someone who has used their proprietary software for years and will not require training in that regard, rather than someone who has not used that software, but whose resume’ exhibits adaptability, the ability to grasp new concepts quickly and successfully, and most importantly—motivation and an eagerness to succeed. It is worthwhile to consider qualities of self-motivation, initiative to get a job done quickly, and a generally high level of quality and professional output. The candidate that has worked successfully in a different industry or with different tools, but has always improved systems, worked well with others, generated new ideas and creative approaches, may be the better fit. S/he may not know about your customized database or donor program, but is a computer and software generalist, a fast-learner and will be up to speed very quickly.
In my nearly three decades of work (some positions which required me to do the hiring and firing) I have repeatedly seen candidates hired simply because they had experience with a certain software or office tool, but lacked other big-picture skill sets. I have also repeatedly seen these hires fail.
We are all aware that the job market is excruciatingly competitive these days, and a new hire is a critical investment. It is tempting to hire the candidate who implies the least amount of up-front training, but it might be better for your organization to engage a bigger-picture strategy. As your business grows, your needs will change—and ambitious thinkers and gifted motivators or leaders will likely serve your organization better in the long-run.
There are loads of good articles on how to find the perfect hire. Some might even contradict my musings above. Erica Benton has written a nice article on 5-steps to hiring you can find here. And Redfish’s blog has a very keen article with some further suggestions here.
In my nearly three decades of work (some positions which required me to do the hiring and firing) I have repeatedly seen candidates hired simply because they had experience with a certain software or office tool, but lacked other big-picture skill sets. I have also repeatedly seen these hires fail.
We are all aware that the job market is excruciatingly competitive these days, and a new hire is a critical investment. It is tempting to hire the candidate who implies the least amount of up-front training, but it might be better for your organization to engage a bigger-picture strategy. As your business grows, your needs will change—and ambitious thinkers and gifted motivators or leaders will likely serve your organization better in the long-run.
There are loads of good articles on how to find the perfect hire. Some might even contradict my musings above. Erica Benton has written a nice article on 5-steps to hiring you can find here. And Redfish’s blog has a very keen article with some further suggestions here.
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