• What have they done in the interim? Did they leave to pursue a degree or additional training? “Rehiring an employee who has gained new skills and perspective, yet has insight into your company, is a strategic move,” says Hyatt. “However, an employee who has had short stints at other organizations may be chronically unsatisfied.”
• Why are they applying now? Perhaps the firm has new ventures or developed better growth opportunities that weren’t available when they left, she says. Beware, however, that employees may be “desperate and turning to an old standby,” she says. “Being a candidate's backup choice does not set either of you up for a healthy relationship.”
Hyatt has observed that typically less than 20 percent of former employees are rehired and just 5 percent succeed once rehired. Those who return at a higher level tend to be more successful than those returning at the same level, she says.
“I think skillsets are critical,” she adds, “and the cultural fit of an organization is just as critical.”