A Viable Candidate vs. a Strong Candidate: Key Differences

The tech job market is competitive. To bring in top talent, recruiters must understand the concept of a viable candidate vs. a strong candidate. While viable candidates meet basic job requirements, strong candidates bring additional qualities that make them exceptional.

Here we aim to understand the difference between a viable and a strong candidate, highlight key characteristics of strong candidates, explore the benefits of skills-based hiring and discuss strategies to not only attract strong candidates but to work toward converting viable candidates into strong employees.

Viable vs. Strong Candidates

A viable candidate meets the minimum job requirements and has the basic qualifications. Strong candidates possess the skills, experience, technical expertise and personal qualities to help organizations achieve their goals. They also have soft skills, including integrity, perseverance, creativity and initiative. Viable candidates check all the boxes on paper but may not excel in a certain role. Strong candidates meet all requirements and bring additional value through their skills, experiences and qualities. They’re adaptable and have greater leadership potential and problem-solving abilities.

Impact of the Pandemic on Hiring Practices – The Shift to Skills

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed companies to shift focus from traditional hiring to skills-based hiring. It forced companies to switch to remote work arrangements and evaluate candidates based on their ability to work well in a digital environment. Specifically, there was a hiring burst in tech during the pandemic and skills such as digital literacy, remote work capabilities, adaptability, communication, critical thinking, resilience, creativity, innovation, and collaboration became more valuable. Companies preferred to hire candidates with technical aptitude rather than specific degrees.

During the post-pandemic era, the workplace dynamic has further evolved. It may have started as reactive adaptation during COVID-19 but ended up permanently configuring how and where people work. Skills that were prioritized during the early days of the pandemic have now transitioned into more advanced competencies like digital leadership, emotional intelligence and cross-functional agility. Job roles have been redefined and so have performance metrics.

Key Characteristics of Strong Candidates

As per forecasts, automation and artificial intelligence may lead to the loss of 85 million jobs while simultaneously creating 97 million new roles. To succeed in this environment and the modern workplace, candidates will need the following skills to deliver value to their organization:

• Ability to adapt
• Knowledge of AI technology
• Coding skills
• Data literacy
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Problem-solving abilities
• Communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership potential
• Resilience

Effective Assessment Strategies

Recruiters can use structured interviews, skills tests, cognitive ability assessments, personality tests, situational judgment tests and job simulations to distinguish between a viable and strong candidate. It’s essential to combine multiple assessment techniques for a comprehensive evaluation.

According to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management, 82% of organizations in the U.S. use some form of cognitive ability testing during their hiring process, and 75% of organizations use psychometric testing during recruitment. These assessment strategies can help companies select stronger candidates.

The Role of AI in Candidate Evaluation

Employers can use AI tools to differentiate between viable and strong candidates. These tools can help screen resumes, conduct video interviews, analyze candidate responses and predict job performance. AI can help improve efficiency, reduce bias and improve candidate matching. But using it presents some challenges, including the potential for bias, privacy concerns and the need for human oversight. 38% of human resource professionals are planning to or have already implemented AI in recruiting.

Attracting Strong Candidates

Some effective strategies to attract strong candidates include:

• Building a strong employer brand.
• Offering competitive compensation.
• Providing professional development opportunities.
• Using compelling job descriptions.
• Offering an employer value proposition.

Building an Effective Talent Pipeline

A talent pipeline is a pool of pre-screened and engaged job candidates who are ready to fill roles as they become available. This can reduce time-to-hire and improve the quality of hires. Recruiters can build a talent pipeline of strong candidates through industry events, online communities, alum networks and professional associations, online communities and university partnerships.

Enhancing the Candidate Experience

Recruiters should provide an exceptional hiring experience to attract and retain strong candidates. Statistics show that one in every five job seekers has rejected an offer due to a poor interview experience. These companies lose top talent and damage their employer brand. Recruiters can improve the candidate experience by streamlining the application processes, keeping applicants informed and requesting feedback for continuous improvement. They can measure candidate experience using metrics such as net promoter score and candidate satisfaction score.

Measuring Success: Metrics for Quality of Hire

It’s important to track metrics to evaluate recruitment success. Some key performance indicators include time-to-productivity, retention rates, performance ratings and cultural fit assessments. A focus on recruitment metrics can improve the quality of their hires by up to 40%. HR managers must monitor performance metrics such as productivity, quality of work, employee efficiency, goal achievement and feedback.

Strategies for Converting Viable Candidates into Strong Employees

Companies need to invest in employee development to convert viable candidates into strong employees. They can do this by identifying high-potential talent and investing in developing their skills. Some valuable strategies include:

• Personalized development plans
• Cross-functional training
• Structured mentorship
• Skill-building programs
• Internal promotions
• Continuous learning environment

Companies should have a recruitment strategy that focuses on strong candidates and prioritizes quality over quantity. This is because the tech sector is competitive and rapidly evolving. Hiring more people does not always lead to better outcomes. Companies that emphasize quality over quality can build teams that are not only technically proficient but aligned with their company’s long-term goals.

Several companies have demonstrated excellent results by improving their recruitment systems and successfully converting viable candidates into strong employees. For example, Mastercard’s partnership with Phenom enhanced recruitment processes with a new career site, talent customer relationship management, campaigns and automated interview scheduling, growing the talent community from less than 100,000 to over 1 million profiles and increasing influenced hires from less than 200 in 2021 to nearly 2,000 in 2023. Electrolux Group implemented an AI-powered external career site, internal talent marketplace, talent CRM and automated campaigns, resulting in an 84% increase in application conversion rate, a 51% decrease in incomplete applications and a 9% decrease in time to hire.

If you need strategies to distinguish between a viable candidate vs. a strong candidate and tips for creating a recruitment process that attracts top talent, contact our team and we’ll be happy to assist you.

Key Takeaways

• The role of AI in recruitment has become increasingly important.
• Recruiters must acknowledge the importance of skills-based hiring.
• Tech companies should invest in viable employees.
• A positive candidate experience can attract top talent.