From my observation, when a position has been vacant for too long, there can be tremendous pressure to just fill it.
Maybe the work is piling up.
Other employees are covering additional responsibilities.
Higher-ups are getting impatient.
And recruitment has already taken longer than expected.
Eventually, someone says, “we just need somebody in the position.”
To me, this can be an expensive mistake.
There is a significant difference between someone who meets the basic qualifications for a job and someone who has the acumen to actually do it well.
Acumen is not simply education, experience or technical knowledge.
It is the ability to understand situations, exercise judgment, think critically, make sound decisions and know when to act, when to ask questions and when to seek help.
These qualities can be particularly important in leadership positions.
Leaving a position vacant has a visible cost. Hiring the wrong person often has an invisible cost.
Poor decisions get made.
Strong employees become frustrated.
Problems that should have been addressed grow larger.
Other people quietly compensate for the person's weaknesses, or I have even seen instances whereby someone else was hired to assist them.
Seeing this happen can erode trust.
Eventually, the organization may find itself recruiting for the same position again, while also repairing the damage the lost trust caused.
That said, there is no unicorn or perfect candidate.
I truly believe people can learn and grow and gain from their experience, especially if they have a mentor willing to give them their time.
But there is a difference between having room to grow and lacking the fundamental acumen the position requires.
Sometimes the better leadership decision is to leave the chair empty a little longer.
The wrong person sitting in it can create problems.
Don’t just fill it.