PRESS RELEASES

Bob Nahas’ Thoughts on Skills vs Fit

I am writing this from the perspective of one who recruits people primarily with management experience for management and executive roles, so skills testing is usually in the rearview mirror, or the candidate has not been tested in that manner.

There are some functions in which I recruit where candidates must have a certain skill level, usually attained through earlier education-principally design and some IT and finance roles.

In interviewing someone for any role, I remember what was said to me years ago by the CEO of a prestigious search firm: Remember, people are usually hired for skills and fired for lack of fit. Something I am 100% in agreement with.

When I’m meeting with a potential client for a search to replace someone, it is usually that the incumbent wasn’t a good fit, at least, if not more often, than they didn’t have the required acumen.

I think these placements happen because hiring managers and, unfortunately some recruiters, are focused too much on getting the job filled than filling it with the person best-suited with the balance of skills and fit.

There is a risk involved with every hire. However, in the absence of a perfect candidate, my advice to a client is hire the one that is the best fit, but who has some of the required skills and can develop the others with some mentoring or training.