It’s that time of year when students are finding out their school, college or university results. And as these individuals discover what the future holds for them, it got me thinking just how important are grades these days? Do organisations really place a huge value on the education of future talent or is there much more hiring managers are after these days?

Take for example the latest reports of business leaders claiming students are leaving school lacking the basic employment skills or work experience they need. Regardless of how well or even poorly students do in their exams, it would appear that they face an up-hill struggle in the job hunt as they haven’t received the workplace education organisations are often seeking. So how can HR address this?

In my opinion, graduates – and indeed any candidate – should not be judged on their educational achievements alone. The grades reported on a CV show nothing of the individuals’ character, personality, behaviour and attitude: all elements I believe should play a strong part in any recruitment decision. Graduate level candidates should not be viewed as the finished product for an organisation; after all they are only just embarking on their employment journey. Instead they should be viewed as a blank sheet that can be moulded and trained to the needs of the company.

If you can’t judge the proverbial book by its cover, then, how can HR teams identify the best talent? This is where cultural fit really comes into the fore.

At Maine-Tucker we are truly of the view that the best talent is that which fits with the culture of the company and the current workforce. If a candidate has a similar ethos to the rest of the business you will find they gel with the team and will be better placed to really hit the ground running. Consider the visions and values of the organisation and really understand and identify what your company’s culture consists of and consider how well a candidate fits with this.

You could find you have one applicant who, on paper, is perfect but who in person conflicts with your existing environment. Bringing such a person on board is likely to cause a number of disruptions and could negatively impact retention numbers. On the flip side, a candidate that perhaps on paper isn’t the strongest, but who in person really shines as a dedicated individual with the initiative and drive you’re after, could be ideal.

I suppose the main point I’m making here is give candidates a chance. Just because they don’t necessarily have the qualifications, doesn’t mean they are not the perfect candidate for you.