Hiring during this ever-changing economic climate is as challenging as it is unpredictable. With more than 4 million Americans voluntarily leaving their jobs each month, figuring out how to hold onto talent is becoming the top priority for employers. When hiring for the future, it’s important to take into account not only the future of your organization as a whole but also the future of each individual employee. Where will they be in a few years? How will they grow? Today we’ll be diving into what hiring for the future looks like, and how best to do that. 

Select Candidates With Great Mindsets

More than anything else, the mindset of a potential hire makes the difference between a bad hire and a great employee. No matter the skills and experience of a candidate, you need to make sure that their vision of the future fits your organization’s culture. During the interview, asking questions about what they see for themselves can determine if they’re the optimal candidate. Ask about their career goals. You may find that they want to settle on an entirely different career path, and are only planning on taking your opening for a year or two. Alternatively, if your office culture centers around community events, ask your candidate how often they’d want to participate. Those who aren’t interested could throw a wrench in your company dynamic. 

If your candidate’s mindset matches your organization, they’ll probably stick around for the long haul. Hiring for the future isn’t so simple as that, but it’s certainly a start.

Transferrable Skills Make A Great Hire

Relevant skill sets are changing constantly in highly variable industries like software engineering. Abilities that are completely necessary now may be irrelevant in a few years. Hiring candidates with a variety of soft and/or transferable skills can be much more valuable in the long run than a more specialized candidate.

Employees with flexible soft skills like communication, project management, and critical thinking tend to be good candidates for advancement. They’re model employees, those who can accept constructive criticism and get their work done in a timely manner. Make sure to encourage the growth of these transferable skills. Managing your current team’s soft skills by providing them with 360-degree feedback and employing self-assessments can help both their career — and your organization — bloom.

Learn What Motivates Individuals

When hiring for the future, understanding exactly what makes each employee tick can solidify their relationship with your company. Throughout the hiring process and during interviews, ask your candidate about their priorities in life:

•  Do they put salary/compensation, or work-life balance first? 
  • If they are monetarily driven, tangible bonuses and advancements will drive them to work their hardest. If work-life takes priority, consider meaningfully increasing their PTO as a reward for continuous hard work. 

• Are they big participants in community events?
  • People who love social events tend to appreciate being in the know and enjoy working with others. Place them in a team-focused environment. For those who prefer to keep to themselves, assign them tasks that capitalize on personal creativity.

• Do flexible hours or a solid schedule appeal more?
  • Flexible work hours have become more of a priority with the younger generations, so don’t be surprised if flexibility is a top priority for candidates. If your organization is operating under hybrid workplace conditions, offering them more remote work could help ensure their satisfaction, and improve retention chances.

Hiring for the future means hiring with the intention to build and maintain a relationship with your employees. When you have a good understanding of your teams, hire candidates that have forward-thinking mindsets and want to start a career with you. Doing so will ensure that you retain workers, and can focus on growth and expansion.