No, it’s not a trick question: whether you want employees to fit in or stand out is an extremely important consideration for recruitment agencies. Like most things, this is less a black and white topic and more a balancing act: you might want someone who fits easily into your corporate culture while standing out to your clients.
Let’s examine both sides of the coin so you can narrow down who exactly you’re looking to hire.
Standing Out
Most people naturally gravitate toward the belief that standing out is always best when it comes to employment and there certainly are benefits to being conspicuous. Employment agencies look for potential employees who stand out by bringing a novel perspective to the company and aren’t afraid to speak their mind, both important traits for progress and innovation. Memorable personalities can also help attract new clients and engage with existing ones.
On the other hand, what a recruitment agency wants to avoid is someone who sticks out like a sore thumb. Extreme outlier can have difficulty getting onboard with the office culture and listening to existing employees either in seniority or who are trying to pass along valuable lessons learnt through past experience. When it comes to job recruitment in Auckland, we like to look for someone who is going to stand out but still able to work within a team.
Fitting In
An employee who fits into the office quickly acclimatises to the company culture and practices, which aids in role transitions and professional development. Recruitment specialists know that people who fit in are often adaptable and flexible, two great traits when you already have a well-oiled machine.
On the other hand, people desperate to fit in can be “yes men” or “yes women” – agreeable to a fault as they try to get along with others at the expense of the work at hand. Employees who stand up for their beliefs lead to healthy debate and improved outcomes so it’s a good idea to make sure your recruit fits in without fading into the background.
Standing Out in Recruitment Versus in the Office
There’s a difference between standing out to a recruitment agency during the application process and standing out in the office. A potential employee might stand out from the pack due to impressive work history or an intriguing list of extracurricular hobbies. Standing out in the recruitment process doesn’t necessarily mean their personality won’t slot easily into the office environment.
If finding a new recruit with the perfect balance of fitting in and standing out sounds difficult, let Auckland recruitment agency Fusion Partners help you out.
What CEOs are Looking for Today
Executive job search is a complicated process that works differently to everyday job recruitment. Sure, there are similarities, for instance you want to interview your potential CEO to make sure they are the right fit for the company, are passionate and hard-working, strong-willed and innovation. But don’t be surprised if you come away from hiring a top-level executive feeling like you were the one being interviewed.
When the conversation turns around to what you can offer them, it might be helpful to know what strong CEO candidates are looking for in today’s modern workforce.
Collaboration
Collaboration is an increasingly important part of successful companies, within the office and across companies and even industries. If your Auckland recruitment agency has done their job, it’s likely your potential CEO will be keen to see evidence that they are walking into a company where employees work well together instead of all competing to the top. They’ll want to know if your company has strong relationships with other businesses in or outside the industry, as these can be called upon to acquire new work and make leaps in innovation.
Company Culture
Just as you want your new CEO to fit into the existing company culture, he or she will want to make sure they’re the right fit as well. Executive search agencies find that top level execs want a thorough understanding of the company’s culture in terms of behaviours, beliefs, sense of humour and interpersonal relationships.
Embracing Innovation and Technology
Innovation is changing the landscape of many industries and new ideas and technologies are sprouting up all over the workforce. Any good CEO will want to join a team that embraces innovative change. Our executive job recruiters appreciate how important innovation is to today’s executives and we work with both the candidate and the client to make sure there is a match in attitudes towards tech and innovation.
Eco-Friendly
If you’re really lucky, your prospective CEO will be interested in the growing global trend of increasing eco-friendly solutions and practices. Our recruitment agency is seeing a commitment to sustainable practices become more of a priority to both employees and executives alike.
Strong Systems or Major Changes
There is one area where executive recruitment agencies see a real split in what CEOs want. Some are keen to walk into a company that already has strong systems in place, flourishing in an environment where they can maintain this good work effectively. Others prefer a challenge, seeking out a company that requires major changes to get back on its feet or keep up with modern day demands. It’s important to have this discussion with your executive search agency in order to make the right hire.
Looking for a new CEO is no easy feat, but the experts at Auckland recruitment and executive search agency Fusion Partners will help find the best fit.