When you strike out in search of a candidate to step into your open position, should you search for someone who can offer a defined set of clear, measurable, and proven skill sets, the kinds of skill sets that will help him excel in this specific role? Or should you look for someone who shows the potential to go a little farther? Someone who may not hold every certification and credential she needs for this job, but who will probably acquire these things under your aegis and then use them to move quickly to the next level?

The first candidate can be considered a skills-based hire. When you reach into your toolkit for a Philips head screwdriver, that’s exactly the item you’re looking for. You don’t want a Swiss army knife, a pancake flipper, a hammer, or anything else. This employee provides the same level of service to the company; he’s the best at what he does, and within those parameters, he’ll give you everything you ask for. The second candidate may not fit the exact demands of this position at this moment in time, but you aren’t hiring her for what she’s already done. You’re hiring her based on what she can offer in the future.

The Power of Attitude

Sometimes aptitude-based hiring can provide the best returns on your payroll budget resources. But sometimes it’s wiser to hire a candidate with fewer skills and far more long term potential. Consider this option under any of the following circumstances.

1. Your company is undergoing a rapid phase of growth and evolution. Too keep up, you’ve drafted a long term hiring plan. With this strategic approach to the process, you know how each position will feed into the next role up the ladder. You’re prepared to take on a candidate as an assistant, groom this person to become a junior associate in one year, a senior associate in five, and a manager in six.
2. You don’t exactly know what you want in a candidate…until you see it. The candidate in front of you may not know how to perform one or two vital tasks, but she’s more intelligent and motivated than the others in the pool, and you’re pretty sure this is a gamble that will pay off.
3. You have a nose for discounts. And this candidate is a steal. Her missing skill set means a low salary requirement, and if you provide the necessary training in-house, she’ll be up to speed in a few months, grateful for the opportunity you’ve provided, and hungry for a promotion.

For more on the benefits of hiring for attitude, not aptitude, reach out to the experienced staffing professionals at Expert. We can show you what to look for in a high potential candidate and where to focus your search efforts if this move seems right for you.