I heard that saying in the title many years ago in the context of education. At the time, it was referring to how children will learn so much easier than an adult because they have yet to form fixed opinions about the world. They were more the changeable clay that could be anything they wanted than the pot which is only ever a pot.
Skills shortage
In the current climate of skills shortage, and what is regularly a candidate-driven market, finding exactly the right person for your vacancy is trickier than in the past. That said, it isn’t impossible, and we have the connections and methods to make sure if the person is out there, you get to meet them. However, there is still a skills gap to deal with, and one way of helping ensure you meet your long-term goals is to consider a slightly different approach to the hiring process.
Traditionally, the route to filling a team position is that you call us with the details of your current vacancy, we discuss the role with you and make sure you have a competitive offer, and then we go about our business and bring our experience and methods into play to find the right person. This is still how most roles are filled, but planning for the long term is fast becoming a vital part of the recruitment process as well.
More and more clients are now actively looking for less primary-skilled candidates with the enthusiasm and willingness to adapt and learn as part of the strategy for a successful working environment, and with very good reason.
An enthusiastic and engaged person is likely not only to apply themselves to the role but to spread their attitude around. Positive and enthusiastic workers are capable of lifting the application and productivity of the whole team.
In short, enthusiasm is viral.
It’s a balancing act
While all this sounds fantastic, it comes with a problem of its own. You probably operate in a very skills-heavy industry. A natural talent and enthusiasm for timber construction materials will not replace years of experience or training, for example. Clearly, there is a balancing act to be considered here by the employer. While taking talented individuals and training them internally to become the sales force you need for the future has a price tag in the long term, the return on that investment could well be a strong and loyal workforce.
There is also a valuable point here for the candidate. While some roles clearly will require experience and/or the training to perform them, in the current climate, others may well be more open to considering the right individual who wants to grow into the expert of tomorrow. If you are considering the possibility of changing careers, then now may well be the time to do it. It is well worth popping in and looking at your options, because a change in role now could literally pay off financially and with job satisfaction in the future once you have gathered the training and experience you need.
It is all about evaluating your position as either employer or candidate, and asking if training and development are the best options for you to develop either a career or a career-minded team. There is a lot to be said in support of the notion that the clay is far more useful in the long run because it will become the pot you need tomorrow.
If you want to explore this further why not drop us a call to discuss either your career or your employment strategy options?
