Its becoming more and more apparent that we are dealing with a “skills gap” in today’s job market. Organisations are desperately trying to fill positions, spending months on recruitment processes, but cannot find the right caliber of candidates with the skill set to meet their requirements. We are finding that organisations are increasingly looking for people who can come straight into a role, with limited need for investment in terms of training and development and can produce results from day one; these candidate are what we refer to as the “A candidate. This makes sense from an organisations perspective as they are looking for a return on their investment, and don’t want to suffer a loss at hiring the wrong person. Organisations also do not always have the time for people to learn, as business has demands that need to be met. The “B candidate” is someone they could invest in and someone who could be developed. Although they may take longer to deliver an impact, with the right guidance, they become consistent. The challenge we are facing is that “A” candidate are in demand, and are being courted by several companies and have many options at their disposal.
The “A” candidate
These candidates are in high demand for their talent, their ability to pass assessments well above their peers, as well as command a room with very little effort. The “A” candidate therefore seems like the “perfect” candidate. However, because they know they are in demand, they are more likely to entertain counter offers and request salary expectations that are well above what the organisations are able to afford, or what their skill set is comparable to . For example, in our interaction with “A” candidates we are seeing demands of salary request or increases of over 20-30% on their Nett Take home , which in the current market is well over what most companies are offering. The response from our clients are that the individual has not yet proven their worth, nor added any value in order to justify such a steep request. This creates a misalignment, as the organisation places emphasis on the candidates potential to fulfill the requirements of the role , whereas the ‘A” candidate places emphasis on his/her demand in the market, as well as his/her current performance. “A candidates” generally have a very low level of commitment during the recruitment and interview process; they often times very inflexible , and has a lack of effort in making themselves available for interviews . Furthermore, they do not always make the first interview time, and are increasingly difficult to reach; they also are less likely to compromise or accept the first offer given. At onset their motivation is career growth, however towards the end of the process their focus shifts predominantly to financial gain. This leads to clients questioning us of candidates true motives and commitment to making a change. “A” candidates are also more likely to have one eye on the door and on a look out for a role that is going to get them the manager title quicker , leaving you to start your hiring process all over again.
The “B” candidate
The “B” candidate is the less than perfect candidate , who is commitment, but gets over-looked solely because they are not the “A” candidate. They have the right level of skills, the right experience to be able to do the job, but may require a month or two of guidance. However, according to Forbes, “hiring a a candidate who may not be a 100% perfectly qualified for a position can actually make better sense long term”. Its been our experience that “B” candidates are a a lot more grateful for the challenge and opportunity that a job affords them to grow, and in return are more inclined to remain loyal to the job and the organisation, (Guy Nadivi). “B” candidates have also shown a lot more willingness to learn and ability to be adaptable. Its not that the “B” candidate is not a good candidate, they just don’t tick all the boxes perfectly. With that being said, their ability to tick most of the other boxes, proves their potential to develop the one or two they may lack. The other benefit of choosing the “B” candidate is that the will not entertain counter offers, nor are their salary expectation unrealistic; they have a career approach and not a financial and title approach. This brings us to the cliche about hiring for attitudes, not for skills. If a candidate has the right attitude and strengths , any gaps in their experience can be learnt from a great leader.
Like the famous quote says “Experts built the Titanic, amateurs built the Ark.
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