HIRING MANAGERS FOCUS ON ORGANIZATIONAL FIT WHEN RECRUITING TOP TALENT
March 19, 2007

A recent poll conducted by Human Resource Executive shows that 61% of human resource executives surveyed are witnessing the rebirth of the “war for talent.” As noted in Accountants Inc.’s 2007 Compensation, Benefits and Workplace Trends Guide, almost 60% of companies we spoke with found it at least slightly more difficult to hire accounting and finance professionals than last year. Companies searching for top talent in a shrinking labor pool are faced with increased competition and are starting to modify their hiring processes. Many companies are shifting from traditional hiring practices of focusing on job knowledge and skill set, to focusing on organizational fit and candidates who fit in well with the overall company environment.

When it comes to finding the right person for the position, high skill set should not be the only criteria for hiring. Johnny C. Taylor, SVP for Human Resources at LAC/Interactive Corp. states that, “what you want to focus on is fit within the company’s culture, because when someone doesn’t work out it’s almost always because they don’t mesh well.” The decision makers we spoke with seem to agree, with 85% of respondents stating they would be flexible on a candidate’s skill set if their personality fit well with their company’s culture (see below). “Organizational fit” can mean different things to different companies and company cultures. However, these certain differences can turn into positive results for the future.

As shown in the 2007 Guide, hiring managers realize that retaining employees starts with recruiting the right employee. Where the need for people who have the necessary skills is important, the need for those who are a good fit with the company culture and others on the team is just as important.

This information is just a sample of the topics that this year’s Accountants Inc. Compensation, Benefits and Workplace Trends Guide focuses on, in addition to our traditional compensation portion that supplies salary ranges from the executive to support positions throughout the nation. For more information on staffing related trends and to receive a complimentary copy of this year’s Guide, contact your local Accountants Inc. representative today.