Hiring vs. Workforce Development: Stop Patching Holes, Start Preparing for Tomorrow

Upon first glance, hiring and workforce development may seem like they’re in the same boat. From afar, they may appear to occupy the same need, but differentiating between the two can mean a huge difference in results. Think of hiring in the traditional sense as a stop gap. A means to an end. When many go through the process of filling a position, they do so simply to put someone in the role with little regard for the future. Hiring in its most basic form is nothing more than filling an empty position. Workforce development is hiring done right. 

The best way to think about workforce development, especially when compared to hiring, is bringing someone on board using a process that puts an emphasis on foresight. It’s filling a position only after you’ve done an extensive amount of research, reviewing, interviewing, and thinking about what exactly the organization needs, not just in the immediate, but for the future as well. Either by hiring people hungry for training and upskilling, or providing those options to your current workforce, you can match their drive with an avenue to grow even more capable.

We believe firmly in the importance of workforce development, because it’s a recipe for success for everyone involved. When you go out and explicitly decide to build your workforce, instead of simply fill an organizational gap, you are already many steps ahead. We work with those who believe in this mindset to show them that true workforce development comes through a deeper look at the candidates themselves. Hiring simply based on a resume is a surefire way to ensure that you’re not taking every possible step to get the best person for the job. We go deeper into that process by representing the potential employee as a human first, someone with a myriad of diverse abilities and skills that all come together to give your organization the edge.

Through training and proper advocacy, we increase the skills and confidence of potential employees at the same time, so that when they prepare to enter the workforce, they arrive ready to bring their absolute best to the table. We know that one of the best ways to help organizations fuel tomorrow’s economic success through a workforce is to point them towards candidates that are hungrier than most.

It’s this mission that makes us far less interested in the simple process of hiring, and more engaged with workforce development that gives everyone involved stronger roots to grow from. Hiring may work in the short term, but a process that values the importance of building a pipeline aimed at funneling in talent for the future sets everybody up for a higher level of greatness.