Don’t Hire the Perfect Candidate

Hint: the perfect candidate doesn’t exist! You’ll waste time and money trying to find them. But wait, what about all the job seekers on the market? You’re saying I can’t find my perfect candidate from what’s currently available?  

Perfect is a construct that just doesn’t exist. Human Resources might be looking for the perfect candidate to fill your open position – a Plant Manager with tremendous production yield even at the start-up phase, a Sales Director responsible for increasing annual revenue by triple digits, or even a General Manager who led a company’s expansion into new markets – but it’s time for a reality check. 

The perfect candidate does not exist. No matter the job description, the industry experience required, the training and skills desired, there won’t be one candidate that dots every i and crosses every t. 

Dealing with high turnover? Here’s how to avoid that.  

Here are some gambles to avoid when seeking the “perfect”:

1. Other companies will scoop up the qualified candidates.

This is obvious: All food and beverage industry executives are looking for the same attributes, experiences, and skills in the positions they need to fill. A candidate that checks most of your boxes will do the same for your competitor. And if you take too long to appreciate their resume, one of your competitors won’t make that mistake, leaving your company with one less candidate to consider. 

2. A lengthy interview process is exhausting.

Candidates understand that there are resumes to review, and the hiring process takes time. They’re willing to wait for a call back after an interview that went well. But waiting more than a few days will send the wrong message. Either your company isn’t interested or is taking too long to decide. That gives them the incentive to keep looking, opening the door for those competing companies to pick up that talented person. 

Want tips for improving your interview process? Look no further.  

3. Overlooking a bad personality fit.

If you manage to find someone who looks perfect on paper, pay attention to your feelings during an interview. A hiring manager knows their team and will sense right away if someone “fits” with their team. The food and beverage industry can be a high-pressure environment. Someone whose personality might not fit in well with their team could upset the proverbial apple cart even more than being short-handed might. 

Time Might Not Be on Your Side, but Kinsa Group Is

Time, like anything else, is a commodity with a finite supply. Waiting too long to find the “perfect” candidate might make it even harder to fill an essential and vacant position. Is that something you’re willing to risk? Recognize the right candidates in front of you, see where training can fill in some gaps, and know when the person in front of you can be shaped into your ideal employee. That’s a smart investment worth making. 

At Kinsa Group, we’re skilled at helping food and beverage industry executives find reliable candidates to fill open positions.  We have 35 years of experience working in the industry and can help hiring managers sort through resumes to find the diamonds waiting to be discovered.  Contact us today and learn how we can work together to find excellent, qualified candidates to fit your needs.