How to overcome “next-one-ism”

Every recruiter has had a candidate who seemed to check all the boxes and interviewed well. But then they follow up with the hiring manager, who says something like, “They were great, but I want to see another candidate before I make a decision.” Cut to recruiters banging their heads on their desks.

I have never understood the phenomenon of “next-one-ism,” but I have learned some methods to overcome it. Here are some easy tips:

1) Instead of looking for the candidate that meets 100% of the needs, adopt the Marine Corps “70% rule” — you can take action on any decision when you have 70% confidence in the success of the decision.

2) When you hire someone who is “close” to meeting all the needs, managers are able to train them within their environment and adapt their processes more easily.

3) Invest in the development and upskilling of employees through consistent training methods and skill building. Not only will the approach build loyalty to the organization, but it also creates opportunities to promote employees who excel.

4) Remind hiring managers that talent moves quickly in this market – and waiting for the next one will likely mean that the current candidate will no longer be available.

Keep your managers focused on the fact that no one is likely to meet everything they want, and all will need some training. The faster they select the candidate with the attitude and aptitude to learn what they need to get done, the faster their job is filled. And can move on to focus on training and getting the work completed.