How Long is Too Long to Wait for the Right Hire?

Your company is looking to fill an open position. You have lots of applicants, but no one is quite right. So, how long is too long to wait for the right hire?

It’s difficult to give an exact answer to this question. After all, needs vary based on industry, organization, position, and even time of year. However, you can look for telltale signs.

Signs You Can Keep Waiting for the Right Hire

  • Your Short Staffed but Not Overwhelmed
    Having an empty seat isn’t ideal. Yet, in some cases, it’s manageable. For example, during a slow season, you may be able to distribute extra duties among your existing staff. Assuming everyone has things mostly under control, you could hold off on hiring for a bit longer.
  • Your Applicants Are Extremely Underqualified
    Although you’re unlikely to discover a 100% match, you don’t want someone who only meets a few of your requirements either. A significantly underqualified candidate will need extensive training and supervision. If you’re already short-staffed, this puts an additional, and arguably unnecessary, strain on your current team.

Signs You Are Waiting Too Long for the Right Hire

  • Your Current Employees Are Overwhelmed
    Asking your existing team to cover extra duties may be an acceptable short-term plan. Unfortunately, it’s not sustainable. Grueling workloads and long hours eventually lead to burnout and then turnover. And ultimately, this cycle will complicate your hiring woes further.
  • You Suspect Your Hiring Criteria Is Too Picky
    Maybe a candidate you passed on was snapped up by another company? And now, you’re beginning to regret your decision. Of course, you want to bring the right people onto your team. Nevertheless, you also could be setting your standards and expectations way too high.

Strategies to Speed Up Hiring

  • Revisit Your Job Descriptions
    Start by asking yourself if you’re chasing people away with unnecessary qualifications. For instance, if you’re looking for an accountant, do you absolutely need a CPA? Hiring expert Scott Wintrip recommends breaking requirements into “Must Haves” versus “Pluses.” Whereas “Must Haves” are essential, you still could consider a candidate without all the “Pluses.”
  • Be Flexible
    When you have talented applicants who are close to perfect, flexible hiring usually is the best policy. This especially holds true when the candidate is eager and willing to tackle additional training or education. In fact, these almost-perfect individuals are more likely to be loyal and engaged because you invested in their careers.
  • Call a Staffing Agency
    Despite your best efforts, some jobs are extremely difficult to fill. If you’re struggling to find the right person for high-demand or specialty positions, it may be time to call in the experts. Staffing firms, employment agencies, and recruiters have databases full of candidates. They know how to advertise for niche roles, reach a larger audience and, therefore, fill openings faster.

Does Your Company Need Help with Hiring?

Halpin Staffing Services is here for you! As one of the leading employment agencies in Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois, we match top talent with top companies. Stop waiting around for the right hire. Contact Halpin today!

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