Struggling to Find the EXACT Match? Hire for Trainability
Hiring is a challenging task. Not only are you looking for someone with the right technical skills, but also someone who will mesh well with the company culture. It can seem like looking for a needle in a haystack. However, one tactic can make the job easier and more effective: hiring for trainability.
Rather than looking for a candidate who is an ideal fit, try to find someone who is trainable and coachable. This simply means someone who is eager to learn, learns quickly and can master different skills efficiently, and wants to apply their newfound skills.
When you do, you’ll be able to teach them how to do the job and, in essence, create that ideal employee you want. To get there, look for these traits to find candidates who are more coachable than others:
Ask the right questions.
In addition to asking questions related to the job, ask each candidate what they do in their spare time, what books they’re reading, what blogs they follow, and other similar questions. In doing so, you’re trying to get a sense of whether the candidate likes to learn and is willing to improve themselves in different ways.
Look for flexibility.
When someone is set in their attitude and perspective, they’re hard to train to take on new skills or perform a job following a specific protocol. So look for candidates who are open to approaching jobs in different ways or who seem more flexible.
You can ask them questions such as: “Tell me about a time you had to adjust or adapt quickly in a work situation and how you did it?” This will give you a sense of whether a candidate cannot only adapt but also be willing.
Assess the questions they ask.
This will give you an indication of how much homework they did ahead of time and what they’re most interested in about the job. Also, if they ask insightful questions, it’s a good indicator that they’re a smart candidate and likely easier to train and coach into the ideal employee.
When you’re having trouble finding the best fit candidate for a role, look for someone who has the right background and is highly trainable. When you do, you’ll often end up with an employee who is more valuable to you in the long-term. After all, it’s those who are willing to learn, adapt, and ask questions that will take your organization to the next level.
Do you need help hiring trainable people for your team?
Turn to Gill Staffing. As one of the leading staffing agencies in West Michigan, we have a robust network of intelligent, hard-working, and reliable candidates. We can match you with the right fit and do it faster and more affordably. Simply contact us today to learn more about the difference we can make for your company.