Determining whether a candidate is truly qualified for a role is a multifactor process. Along with assessing their skills and experience for a match, you also have to determine whether their source of motivation will help them excel in the role and that the salary you are prepared to offer aligns with their expectations.

Qualifying candidates does take effort, but it will also expedite the remainder of the recruitment process. In order to assess a candidate’s fit, here are some steps to follow.

Define the Critical Skills Sets

The first step for qualifying candidates for a role is understanding which skill sets are critical to their success in the position. Often, this involves assessing the tasks that will need to be performed on day one. Identify the skills that will be put to use immediately, as those are genuinely critical.

Next, consider how much training and time you are willing to offer to get the candidate up to speed and when you can make it available. If you have the ability to train in a few areas and can start that process quickly after the selected candidate begins in the role, you can also define these as potentially critical skill sets.

Ideally, you want to limit this list to five or six skills. Anything beyond that may intimidate some potential applicants, particularly since some may choose not to apply unless they meet 100% of the stated requirements.

The Minimum Skill Set Match

Once you understand the critical skill sets, assess applicants to determine how well they match. In many cases, a 70% skill match should be viewed as ideal, giving a 30% stretch factor for areas that can be learned or that will occur as they grow into the role. Often times when candidates fit the role perfectly (say 90-100%),I leaves no room to be challenged and grow so they might get bored in the job and seek a new challenge elsewhere.

If a candidate falls below the 70% threshold, the amount of time it may take to get them up to full productivity could be burdensome. As a result, it is critical to factor in the level of training and growth that can be accommodated before deciding to further pursue a particular candidate.

Acceptable Salary Range

Candidates often have target salaries in mind when they consider a role. Ideally, you want to ensure that what you are prepared to offer and what the candidate finds acceptable align. Otherwise, you could end up pursuing a candidate who would never say yes to the job because it does not meet their salary needs.

Often, the easiest way to ensure there is a match is to be open about the salary range early in the recruitment process. Then, it is safer to assume that candidates who remain in the pipeline are willing to handle that workload for that salary.

Assessing Motivation

While finding a candidate that has the proper skill set is critical, it is also important to evaluate the source of their motivation. While earning a salary is always a factor in this equation, finding candidates who are intrinsically motivated for other reasons should be a priority.

When a professional is passionate about their field and the role, there is a higher chance they will be a top performer. It gives them drive beyond a paycheck, and often enhances their ability to handle challenges that may arise during the completion of their duties and derive greater satisfaction from their work, something that also impacts how well they perform.

By properly qualifying candidates, you can make sure you direct your energy toward the best-fit associates. If you would like to learn more about this phase of the recruitment process, WorldBridge Partners can help your company create stronger teams through comprehensive candidate qualifying. Contact us to learn more about our The WorldBridge Way search methodology and how we can streamline your recruitment process to ensure you gain access to the right-fit candidates you need for your business to thrive.