As a hiring manager, you’ve probably seen a wide range of candidates who vary from underqualified to perfect for the company. But, every once in a while, a candidate comes across your desk with skills and experience that fall outside of the box. This is someone who could potentially add a great deal of value to your company, even be considered as a future leader, but you don’t have a position available at this time. These people are:
- Creative thinkers who bring a lot of energy to their careers
- Extroverts with above-average leadership and communication skills
- Highly respected and recommended by past employers and colleagues
What do you do with a candidate like this – put them in a pile for later consideration and risk losing them to a competitor, or giving them an opportunity at your company? Read on to learn what you can do with these rare candidates.
Get them on the phone for a screening interview fast
Don’t miss out on the chance to talk with a candidate who has the above traits. Get on the phone and introduce your company and the opportunities there. Find out what the candidate is looking for. Arrange for an in-face interview as soon as you can.
Offer them a contract project
If you don’t have a position already available for a candidate like this, create one with a contract project. Tap into the candidate’s strengths and experience to come up with a project that will challenge the candidate. Let them know successful completion of this project may lead to a permanent job. Offer a generous contract rate to get them on board.
Bring the candidate on as a consultant
An alternative to offering a paid project is to offer the candidate the chance to share their unique knowledge as a consultant to your current team. Set a meeting and introduce them to your leadership team, then come up with an agreement to have them come in for a nice fee to direct your team on certain issues they may be having. When the time is right, offer this candidate a job.
Refer them to a complimentary firm
If you cannot do the above, the very best action you can take is to refer them to a colleague at a complimentary firm. In the future, you can still offer a position or work positively with this person, who will be forever grateful, and your colleagues will thank you for sending a great candidate along.
