4 Ways to Spot Excellence

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by Joseph Azzata, eCareer Holdings, Inc.

ExcellenceTalent management professionals know all too well that finding the right employee the first time around is much easier – and more cost-effective – than having to recruit for the same position time and again. While recruiters know which characteristics to look out for, sometimes knowing how to define and measure excellence can keep HR professionals from having to enter into the dreaded recruiting cycle. Although recruiters know they can’t find the ideal candidate every time, settling for mediocre workers doesn’t do the company any good. No one wants to make a hiring mistake, yet human resource professionals may want to keep four strategies in mind before, during and even after the recruitment process:

1. Define excellence. HR needs to have a solid definition of what it means to be an excellent, high-achieving employee at the organization before they can begin talent acquisition. According to Inc. magazine, truly understanding what a great worker looks like requires HR representatives to get a sense of what excellence means to others in the organization. Recruiters can take top leaders at the company out for lunch or ask investors what characteristics they believe great employees possess.

2. Commit to the definition. Creating a description of what a wonderful worker looks like does no good if recruiters don’t follow it. However, this doesn’t mean HR professionals can commit to finding the perfect worker. Some candidates may not be able to check all the boxes on the recruiter’s list, but they might still be excellent employees. Recruiters should keep their definition of excellence in mind any time they are interacting with a candidate – whether it is just by looking at his or her resume or during an interview.

3. Analyze the candidate’s character. The only way recruiters can truly determine if a job seeker is the right fit is to understand his or her personality and overall character. In an article for Forbes, Alan Hall, a recruitment expert, suggested recruiters ask themselves whether they think the candidate has the capacity to do the job and if he or she is compatible with the organization. If the answer to either of these questions is no, then recruiters would be settling for a subpar performer.

4. Foster a culture of excellence. For employees to be top performers, the company’s internal culture should support it. HR representatives should cultivate a culture of excellence throughout the organization to continue attracting the best talent.

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