When hiring for a new employee at any level, there are critical key qualities HR teams and decision makers look for in potential candidates for short-term and long-term success. How will this new employee support your business, align with team values and help build a pathway to success?
However, these key qualities are often overlooked when vetting, selecting and onboarding the platforms, software and technology that run your business. As technology continues to evolve through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, it will only get more personalized, intelligent and integrated into your business – in essence an artificial member of your core team. When considering upgrading your technology now or in the future, frame your search just as you would when assessing and hiring a new employee by looking closely at:
Skills & Experience.
When finding the right hire or candidate that best suits your business and your needs, skills and years of experience are critical to making the right decision. What level of expertise and skill sets does this individual have? How many years of experience? What are some of the accolades they’ve received in the past? For example, you are presented with two potential candidates for an integral role on your senior executive team. Naturally, the candidate with more experience will cost more than the one with less. However, in a cost saving effort, will choosing the less expensive option truly be the best decision or will it hinder your growth potential further down the road?
In terms of selecting and hiring a new executive search software for your team, longevity in the industry indicates success with strong client relationships, innovation and proven satisfaction. Length of experience demonstrates this partner has served as a trusted advisor to clients in the past and will grow as your business grows.
Cultural Fit.
Alongside the necessary skills and expertise, cultural fit and reputation are also critical to ensure success when hiring a new candidate. How will this candidate blend with the rest of the team? What do they value when it comes to culture, people and balance? What motivates them to perform and succeed?
The same thought process should be applied when considering options for a new technology partner. You will need a partner that will become a part of your team, integrate seamlessly into your process and respect your corporate culture. The purpose is to enhance your existing workflows, and enable you to complete them faster, smarter and more efficiently. This is accomplished through commitment to your industry and business growth, a user-friendly interface, anticipation of future needs and much more. All of these qualities can be found by looking at the software company as a whole, and asking yourself, “Is this partner driven by teamwork, collaboration and innovation?” Just like assessing a candidate’s values, pay close attention to cultural fit when choosing new technology and assure your partner’s values will align with yours.
Fast Learner.
When considering a new hire, there will always be a need for a quick onboarding. Any new addition to the team must be set up for success in order to perform well and drive results. This success is determined by a robust onboarding process, the ability to learn and adapt quickly and providing ample training resources and support. How long will it take to see results from this new hire? Is this new employee a self-starter and quick learner? How will their speed and intuition set-up the team for success now and in the long-term?
With today’s rapidly changing business environments, especially in the recruitment industry, it is critical to be agile and adapt to shifts in trends promptly. These same expectations should be set for your technology. Setting your own teams up for success is critical with any new organizational change, and the right executive search software partner will work as hard as possible to minimize this adjustment period. Expert technology providers take this charge very seriously and assure that training and support are readily available for your team to learn fast now and in the future. Through the appropriate application of self-learning technologies and automation, the right software partner will simplify your process, increase productivity and adapt as needed to become a core strategic partner within your business.
Finding Innovators.
Today, companies must hire “Innovators” to stay relevant and competitive with the latest trends. While these “Innovators” have many years of experience, tenure is not the only aspect of their pedigree. Innovators have meticulously perfected their skill sets, forward-thinking mentality and industry acumen by spending the focus of their career in a very niche industry market. What qualities make them an Innovator? How have they brought success to prior companies? How can your team learn from them?
This is what makes true “Innovators” rare and hard to find, however not impossible. Your executive search software and technology partner should be considered an innovator in the industry. Find a partner that has specialized in your particular industry over many years. A technology company that caters to the wider masses beyond your particular industry can lose sight of delivering real value to you and your team and dilute the critical functions your team needs to perform. An Innovator and niche industry specialist is able to take decades of user feedback and experience to develop user-friendly products for your team now and in the future.
Results Over Time.
Strategy and results play a much larger factor in the decision making and vetting process at more senior management levels. At higher management levels, employees must be able to see and actively contribute to the larger picture of the organization’s demands and demonstrate results over time. What sort of results have they achieved over time? How will they contribute to growth? How will they effectively drive teams to deliver?
This consideration must also be given when selecting a new technology partner. Make sure that the platform you select has easily accessible reports you can use to track and graph the progress of searches, candidates, and team members. Find a technology partner that has a proven track record over time and ask for clearly defined examples of success and references. Remember, your software is the digital central nervous systems of your company, where all of your data, information and intelligence converge.
Cluen has specialized in the executive search and recruitment industry for almost 30 years, with a proven track record that has shaped the core of our business and product. We know your time is valuable. Our team has worked with thousands of search professionals and can give you quick answers to questions. We are experts in executive recruitment software and our goal is your long-term success. If we’re not a good fit, we’ll point you in the right direction.