There are two schools of thought when it comes to hiring. The first is that you should hire only candidates who possess every qualification on your list of requirements. The other is that you should consider hiring for potential, even if that means some additional training. Is “underqualified” really a red mark on someone’s application, or can you turn that into a positive? Sometimes being so determined to hire someone with only a specific skill set leads to problems finding or retaining talent. Employers who hire for potential often seen higher success and retention rates. So what should you know when considering if you should hire an underqualified candidate?  

Attitude and Aptitude  

What may be the two most important qualities in a new employee are attitude and aptitude. Someone doesn’t need to know all of the exact specific skills when they join the team, but they can learn. They should also be excited about the opportunity. You can’t teach attitude and aptitude, but you can teach all the intricacies of the job to someone who possesses these personality traits.  

Transferable Experience  

For example, suppose you have a customer service position that needs great face-to-face interaction. In that case, it’s possible that a person coming from unrelated industries, such as hospitality or retail, could thrive in your environment. Consider related skills that might indicate if they are capable of learning the specifics.  

Matching Goals  

You also want to hire new employees who have values that match those of the organization and goals for their future that you can help with. For example, if they want to advance their career and show the potential to do that, you want to bring them into your team before they are hired by someone else who benefits from their potential success.  

Create a Great Team  

No employee needs to go it alone. You want to build a team that will encourage a new employee who needs to learn the ropes. Assembling a team that drives innovation will benefit your entire organization, including new team members. New mindsets will also help drive productivity in your departments.  

Are you ready to hire great employees that fit with your company? Nextaff can help, so contact us today.