“With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.”- Dalai Lama
I read this quote the other day, and it resonates with a deep-seated belief I have. Building better employees can be better for your company long term than hiring short term experienced professional. A well-rounded talent roster includes many levels of professional experience.
Early Career Talent (ECT) professionals are one of the workforce’s most underrated assets. They command lower salaries but bring valuable positive energy, perspective, and diversity to an organization. Many ECTs have learned unique skills in college or through internships and as a result, are tech-savvy, innovative, and understand the driving motivators of today’s worldwide demographic, especially important in industries like sales, marketing, tech, and media. Those entering a second career, fall into this category also, not just recent college graduates.
Boomerangs are the term for highly skilled employees who left the workforce (pursuing other passions, deciding to take care of the kids,) however are ready to enter back in to the workforce. They fit into many of the same motivators as ECTs- however since Boomerangs is such a long and worthy topic, this merit having our next blog devoted to this topic, so will focus on the overall ECT here.
Potential vs Experience (No Bad Habits)
Don’t ignore the hidden benefits of hiring for potential. Spectacular past performance doesn’t guarantee the same future success. The big hiring secret is you should hire with an eye on the candidate’s potential, not for experience. Your company cannot move forward by what someone did in the past, only what they can do for your future.
Giving a candidate with less experience a chance to prove him or herself will drive loyalty, and their shorter career history means they can bend to your way of thinking, without the bad habits many long-term career professionals have. Plus, there is a greater market supply of potential versus experience, which reduces costs and allows you to bring in more talent you need to support your accelerated growth.
Sometimes years of training is required to get the specific skills that are needed for a position but don’t prioritize applicants just because they worked for a Fortune 500 company or have been in the industry for an extended amount of time.
Believe in Working Hard
For both ECTs and those starting a second career, boomerangs, look at the actual value of their previous experiences. Look for candidates who were actively involved in clubs and organizations and can speak to their contributions and what they do in their downtime. Did they work at a part-time job to pay their way through school? That demonstrates a strong work ethic.
Innovative (Risk-Taking) Culture
ECTs are hungry to innovate and aren’t afraid to take some risk. They are like sponges ready to absorb knowledge and are much more apt to go for things that more experienced professionals hesitate. This drive can bring a lot of value and reward to companies.
According to a white paper by comScore, four out of every five Millennials (18-34 years old) own a smartphone, compared to just two out of three 35- to 54-year-olds. This age group, typically also ECTs, has always been eager to adopt new technologies and new methodologies, which makes them extremely valuable team members for employers.
Most are so intertwined with technology as a way of life, they are personally involved and motivated by the latest technological trends. Their way of life caters to the evolving consumer (your client base) and they can learn new technology in a matter of minutes. These natural abilities are priceless for employers in today’s quickly evolving world.
Engagement
Your fresh-starting ECTs early careers employees are undertaking one of life’s most stressful moments to come work with you. Take this for your company to invest in starting the relationship well, and earn engaged, productive and appreciative employees in return.
Employees who feel welcome are more engaged. According to recent research by Deloitte, improving engagement increases productivity by 18% and the quality of output by 30%. It’s as simple as that.
By hiring an ECT, you have taken a big step towards earning trust and appreciation, and your new ECT will appreciate your leap of faith in their abilities even though they are new to the career. Their engagement in your company will be very high. Take this opportunity to make them feel welcome to your company as soon as you hire them, and you will gain not only in engagement but in productivity and loyalty.
Loyalty
Getting the chance to mold a new professional rather than training them to adjust or completely discard pre-conceived habits and notions is powerful.
Like hiring within, employers can continue to foster their own culture and develop their employees the way that works well for them. Hiring someone outside the organization can greatly undermine those efforts, but new professionals can easily meld to the culture and quickly build the skills the company needs.
Tomorrows Leaders
ECTs are the leaders of tomorrow but cost a fraction to recruit than those with experience. Smart companies know they need to engage with them early on in order to secure their position within the company as they grow and advance in their careers.
Bringing it all Together
I hope I’ve impressed upon you the importance of reaching out and actively recruiting Early Career Talent! By welcoming this class of professionals, your company can experience some needed positive energy, and you are building a long-term viable business model for your company’s future needs.
At HH Staffing, we have been in the staffing business for over 31 years. We know good employees and great ones. Give us a call today so we can help you recruit some Early Career Talent to your team today!
Until Next Time,
Your Staffing Partner, Darrin Rohr- President, CEO and Chief Servant
Current owner of HH Staffing and Former Chief HR Officer for several successful Multinational Fortune 500 Companies. Brings fresh perspective from decades of experiences creating Great Workplace Cultures by building high performance teams while leading and managing people from all different backgrounds. HH Staffing is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida and is uniquely positioned to serve both local and national clients.
