Realistic Advice for Hiring Managers

The Perfect Match was the promise many headhunters made to employers in the 1980's when peddling their services. Sometimes they delivered exactly that. Today, finding perfect matches has become rather difficult for a variety of reasons.

First, many companies have merged two, and sometimes three, job descriptions into one. Unfortunately not many people will have all those talents ready to go. Second, so many places use proprietary software, manufacturing processes, or homespun formulas for success that finding someone who will fit like a glove is just not possible. Finally, our colleges and trade schools react sluggishly to changes being made and offer courses that are potentially a few years out of date. Unless you are willing to hire someone trained in another country and deal with all the related visa issues, be prepared for a learning curve.

My solution is quite basic. Figure out what pieces of the puzzle need the most attention then look for folks who fit those needs and be willing to allow for a little ramp-up time. Keep in mind that you could offer a slightly lower pay rate for perhaps 90 days to allow for the learning process to be complete!