Selling Job Candidates on a Prospective Supervisor

A job candidate search is generally an expensive and time-consuming prospect. Most of the time, the search process is focused on finding the right person with the right skill set for the organization. Looking to provide the best candidates, staffing recruiters spend countless hours sifting through resumes and applications searching for a variety of individuals who possess the perfect mix of skills that will fit within the company culture.

Yet, hiring the so-called “right” candidate does not always guarantee long-term success. In the broadest definition, right fit is an employee who contributes to the organization using their unique skill set and personality. This definition also includes employees who want to keep sharing their skills with the organization over an extended period. At first glance, this might translate as a basic equation where 1+1 =2, but there’s an important element missing – the supervisor.

Beyond a candidate’s skills and personality, an employee’s long-term fit depends on how well they work with their supervisor. This should not come as a surprise on either side of the hiring desk. Article after article states the same thing. When an employee chooses to leave they don’t leave a job, they leave a boss. While many such articles focus on the importance of improving overall leadership within an organization, this often ignores the critical day-to-day interactions an employee has with their direct supervisor or manager.

An employee’s job performance and work satisfaction directly correlate to having a consistent and positive working relationship with their team and their supervisor. Anyone who has left a position can attest to this, yet providing a supervisor’s expectations on a job posting are not a common aspect of hiring. Currently most, if not all, of the hiring process focuses on the candidate and their related skills. This is a missed opportunity because too often an employee only learns about the expectations of the hiring manager and their supervisory methods after the hire and when the actual work begins.

Considering the expense of the hiring process, especially with candidates who choose to remain with an organization only a short time, there is certainly merit in expanding the hiring scenario to highlight the individual who will supervise the position. Supervisors who are willing to share their expectations (work habits, methods and goals for the department) in the job description allow candidates a critical sneak peek. Current staff who are thriving with the manager can also provide important insights on the day-to-day realities of working with them. This additional information can help a candidate determine if they are a potential fit and if they will thrive within the organization’s management structure.

If this approach is new to an organization, they could start by sharing the supervisory basics:

• Background in the organization
• Number of years managing in the discipline
• Expectations regarding day-to-day work
• Goals for the department

By adding a brief supervisor profile to a job description, companies can create a smarter way to hire and leverage a potential advantage when it comes to retaining workers who are ready and willing to share their talents.

This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City. A full-service employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire and contract employment placement services in the Overland Park, Johnson County, and Kansas City Metro areas.