What Quality Employees Look For In A Company

Whether it's a distributor salesperson opening or the search for a frontline cleaning crew manager, hiring parties are constantly looking not just for an employee to vill the void, but one that can be relied on long-term. Companies that struggle to retain employees — or even get them on board in the first place — could be failing to check several boxes in the hiring process that either deter a quality applicant from committing to a position or even applying in the first place. To help companies improve these up-front processes, Fast Company outlined for applicable tips for optimizing the hiring process for strong potential employees.

An Organized Hiring Process

Most employees (or at least the best ones) can sniff out a poorly constructed hiring process from a mile away. Whether it's conducting an interview with template, non-elaborative questions, or failing to check in during the early stages of a new hiring cycle, quality employees will be quick to scrutinize what they consider to be cutting-corners. If they feel like simply a filler to a void, they will seek greener and more organized pastures elsewhere. 

A Prideful Company Culture

Fellow prospective coworkers or hiring managers can say all of the right things about a company to get a quality candidate to accept, but body language and actions speak far louder than any pep talk. Companies that encourage their employees to publicly promote their company (and actually have many that do so genuinely) is a big plus for candidates considering a position. Talk to someone who is optimistic about their company, and they probably speak to a variety of steps that are taken; ranging from providing plenty of opportunities for growth, employee flexibility, strong incentive programs or otherwise. 

Understand Candidate Preferences

Through a combination of candidate research and attentive listening during the interview process, companies can pinpoint what a quality candidate's top preferences are for a position. If those preferences are reasonably attainable, it can go a long way to swaying them. Pitfalls, however, include making a promise upfront without verifying whether it can actually be provided. Also keep in mind that the best candidates do their due diligence on the company itself — so if what is being offered by the hiring team seems unrealistic, they will likely notice and be put off by an unrealistic offer. 

Be Flexible On Potential Company Fits

Perhaps the biggest mistake companies make when hiring is to disregard a candidate if they weren't an exact fit for the position they applied for. If a candidate has a winning work ethic and fits the culture of the business, perhaps they aren't good for sales, but could be a research or marketing ace. Companies can set themselves up for the future by either reallocating a candidate for another open position at the company, or keep closing tabs/in-touch with the candidate for when a better fit comes along. From there, a hiring party can already have a leg up on competitors through a pre-established dialogue.

For additional hiring tips from CleanLink, click here.