Beyond Resumes: Why Aligning Motivation Leads to Wins in Recruiting & Retention

The recruiting game has evolved. With the introduction of AI, aligning skill sets and job duties is getting easier by the day. If it is easy to find qualified candidates, then why is it so hard to find good employees? Taking this a step further, how do you find the top producers?

In today's competitive talent market, it's no longer enough to simply find candidates with the right skills on paper. The true challenge lies in uncovering their intangible interests and motivations.

Here's why:

• Skills can be learned, but passion is innate. A candidate who's genuinely excited about the work they do is more likely to go the extra mile, innovate, and become a high performer.
• Alignment fuels retention. When a candidate's interests align with your company culture and mission, they're more invested in the long run. This translates to lower turnover rates and a more stable, experienced workforce.
• Happy employees are productive employees. People who enjoy what they do are more engaged, motivated, and ultimately, more successful. This translates to a positive impact on your company's bottom line.

So, how do we find these ideal matches?

• Shift the focus. Move beyond skills-based interviewing and delve deeper into a candidate's interests, passions, and career aspirations. A common problem is hiring the most qualified candidate on paper, but whose heart is not in the job.
• Embrace storytelling. Encourage candidates to share their professional journeys and what excites them about the work they do.
• Highlight your company culture. Showcase what makes your organization unique and how it aligns with the candidate's values.

By prioritizing these intangibles, we can move beyond transactional recruiting and build a talent pool driven by genuine passion and purpose. This, in turn, leads to a happier, more productive workforce and a stronger, more successful organization.

One of the ingredients that leads to OnPoint's amazing placement longevity is the focus on the soft skills. Of course, a candidate has to be qualified for the position, that's the easy part. The skill comes from learning what makes candidates tick. What are their career goals? What is motivating their job transition? What are their must-haves and nice-to-haves? Once you figure out their motivations, it becomes much easier to align to companies and positions that offer a mutually beneficial relationship. It's time to think "Win-Win" instead of "what can you do for me"!!

#recruiting #talent #culture #motivation #retention