By Pamela J. Gallagher

In the midst of the Great Resignation, staffing is complete chaos. Across industries, organizations are rushing to fill vacancies so that customer service (and profits) don’t skip a beat. In the urgency of the moment, everyone is looking to hire permanent employees to replace the ones that resigned, but I think businesses would benefit from taking a pause to evaluate their true needs and rethink how they approach hiring.

What expertise do we need for the job we want done?

Before planning for a permanent hire, organizations should consider: what job do we really want done? Often, human resources departments can get stuck in an idea of what is best. Hiring has become very position-centric, rather than skills- and expertise-centric.  Organizations decide they need to hire a CFO, but they need to be more specific. What is the primary job they need that CFO to do? Do they need a turnaround CFO, or perhaps one that specializes in mentoring and building relationships, for example? Businesses need to take the time to be more definitive about their situation, assessing whether they need a person who can build or maintain, or someone who can complete a certain type of project.

Hire to get the job done and move the organization forward, not fill an open position.

Do we really need a full-time, long-term hire to get the expertise we need?

Once you have determined the expertise necessary for the job you need done, it’s time to think outside the box and consider whether you really need someone long-term. Different needs require different kinds of expertise, and someone with a start-up skill set will likely not have the skills to maintain an operation long-term.

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