There is a lot of work involved in the hiring process. You can imagine what the perfect candidate would be like and set very high standards for them, and you still might find yourself left with a great employee who still falls short in some ways. However, a candidate’s desires and expectations about the company’s culture and working style are not always met.
Hiring is never easy
It’s similar to marriage or dating where each party has a different idea of how things should be and then the reality hits! That’s why everyone should know what they need exactly before going through this process.
Here, we’ll talk about things that usually go through the minds of the hiring managers and job-seekers right before they make any next moves. These things vary and may even run in the subconscious of both parties without them knowing! Let’s dig into this!
From hiring managers perspective (apart from payment and technical qualifications)
When looking for a candidate, what do hiring managers look for? Do only technical abilities and performance matter? I don’t think so; they aren’t hiring a machine, but rather, a person with their own personality and unique set of traits and beliefs.
Here are some crucial things that every hiring manager aspires to find in a candidate (apart from payment and technical qualifications):
Emotional intelligence
Employees who are considered emotionally intelligent are said to be more likely to, work well with others, respond positively to constructive feedback, make sound decisions, handle pressure and stress well, resolve conflicts effectively, work well independently, and show leadership qualities.
Having this skill involves recognizing different aspects of feelings and emotions and taking the time to develop self-awareness, self-control, motivation, empathy, and social skills, and all of these skills are highly needed in the workplace.
This is a mastery trait or skill that even defines the success magnitude of any human in life, not just in the job search.
Commitment
Job-hopping is common in the job market, especially among younger employees. Hiring Managers are more interested than ever in candidates who show they are likely to stay loyal and committed to the company.
Commitment is a color of loyalty, and every Hiring Manager would love to have loyal people to make up his/her organization, employees who stay are important to the culture fabric and the core success factor of any business.
Availability
Hiring managers prefer job candidates who are available so that they can be contacted or interviewed. The candidate’s availability indicates that he or she is interested in the position and eager to hear any updates about it.
Not desperately available, but passionately available, and that’s a big difference.
Any Hiring Manager can quickly smells desperation; they will only lean to like confident, reliable and attentive people.
Enthusiasm
Hiring managers look for candidates who are excited about the job and the company. It simply means that a candidate wants this company and is interested in this job.
When this enthusiasm stays at work, It makes it easier for employees to stick to their work through hard times and keep them going until they get the results they want.
Employees who are enthusiastic make others feel better, safer and work harder. This infuses daily and contributes to building a great culture.
Culture-fit
Culture isn’t just a word to throw around, it is simply the way and the mood of doing things either in the office or out of the office.
Hiring Managers look for people who will blend-in quickly. They usually aspire to put a spot on their culture either in the job description or during interviews.
Employers in today’s job market are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest perks to offer for their employees. Modern companies are rushing to provide what their employees want to retain top talents.
Here’s a guiding article from Harvard Business Review written mainly for job-seekers, reflecting on how the company culture could be the real deal when evaluating any job offer.
From job-seekers perspective (apart from salary)
Money alone will not keep employees happy. A survey of over 5,000 job-seekers found that only 13% were dissatisfied with their current salaries and looking to make a change. When asked why they wanted to leave their current jobs, 87% cited reasons such as dissatisfaction and disengagement.
Here are some crucial things that every job seeker looks for other than a good salary
A flexible workplace
Nowadays, workers require schedules that are adaptable to their personal needs. As the job market has shifted post the pandemic, it has become clear that most applicants value the ability to work from home. They also want the flexibility to set their own work schedules. Companies that foster this kind of trust and autonomy among their staff members tend to have the most dedicated and effective workforces.
According to Harvard Business Review, 88% of job-seekers said they’d consider a job with flexible hours, while 80% would consider a job that allows them to work from home.
Flexible hours and work-from-home arrangements are both cost-effective benefits for businesses that want to offer appealing benefits. These benefits typically cost nothing to the employer and even help reducing multiple cost streams.
In today’s competitive job market, job seekers are looking for companies with a supportive and trusting culture. Giving them the option to work remotely and have flexible hours to allow them striking the balance between work and personal life.
Sense of belonging
It’s important for employees to feel like they’re part of something greater than themselves at the workplace. When employees feel they are integrated to the company’s big picture and its success, it leads to increased productivity and much higher satisfaction levels among everyone.
Employees will know you value them as individuals by offering them both material and non-material benefits, material benefits only will never work on the long term.
Rewarding employees with things other than money can foster a deep feeling of belonging. According to a Gartner’s research, benefits and positive initiatives can boost a sense of belonging by 38%.
Managers should focus more on that, remove barriers to inclusion, unite teams, and show they care through this kind of benefits and perks.
High-quality benefits
Job seekers look for things like quality health care, retirement savings, paid leaves and flexible working hours.
Understanding the importance of these benefits helps managers offer more complete packages to attract and keep employees.
According to Shrm here are the most preferable benefits that people look for:
- Health care benefits: 95%
- Retirement benefits: 71%
- Leave benefits: 50%
- Professional development benefits: 17%
- Wellness benefits: 11%
- Financial benefits: 6%
- Family-friendly benefits: 3%
Communication and transparency
Job-seekers value good communication and honest information sharing from potential employers. Candidates want to know that the company and the position they are applying for are a good fit for them.
In addition to asking about the role’s daily requirements, they want to know about the company culture, salary expectations, and the quality of the management team. More open communication during the hiring process aids in realistically managing expectations and attracting top talents.
Mental well-being and compassion
As we previously explained, employees value money, but it isn’t the only thing that matters to them. When asked about their priorities in the workplace, employees rank emotional well-being second only to financial security.
The emotional well-being of workers is negatively affected by stress. Every aspect of an employee’s workday can be stressful, from the morning commute to the never-ending mailbox to the tight deadlines to the difficult coworkers and clients.
Employees prefer companies that make an effort to provide a pleasant place to work. They would rather work in an environment where they can be productive then kick back and relax than the ones where they feel like the company’s bottom line is most important than anything else.
Employers should recognize that their employees are more than a person who delivers tasks, they are human beings who have their own needs. Even if employees have a lot of work to do, the company should make sure they have time to unwind and reduce the stress that builds up.
In conclusion…
Hiring is humane!
Employees want to feel safe, secure, happy, and comfortable in their work environment. And Hiring Managers must consider these aspects.
Although financial stability is undoubtedly important, there are other factors that prove to be more crucial on the long run.
Companies now know that investing in employee happiness is extremely important, having attractive benefits is a proven way to encourage and retain people.
The hiring process is full of underlying details. A good Hiring Manager, should always be open, and specify what he/she is seeking in a candidate. On the other side, candidates must prove and show the right signals in order to be trusted and liked by Hiring Managers.
You can read more of our articles on SupportFinity’s blog.
