This column by Stephanie Klein was published by the Denver Business Journal
Let’s replay the recurring conversation happening in many HR departments and recruiting firms across the country right now:
Hiring manager: Why has it been so difficult to find an X? (Fill in any specialized, degreed position here.)
HR/Recruiter: I’ve found a lot of resumes, but haven’t been able to find anyone who has either all the skills or is a good cultural fit for our organization.
Hiring Manager: But if we don’t find X, we won’t be able to accomplish our goals.
HR/Recruiter: Can we look at a different job description or change our hiring criteria?
Hiring Manager: No, I don’t have time to think about that right now. Just repost the ad on a different job board and maybe we’ll get a better response next time.
It’s no surprise this type of attitude makes it nearly impossible for a company to find the talent they need. The solution may be a completely new way of thinking. Let’s review the importance of good talent, how to define it, and an innovative way to get it – it’s probably something you haven’t tried yet!
Talent is job one
It can’t be stressed enough: in this small business, predominately service-oriented industry state, almost every company’s assets walk out the door each night. Your company’s ability to compete, advance, innovate and grow is 100 percent tied to the people who work there. If every executive and manager in your office isn’t in complete alignment on this issue, stop now. The truth is, your firm’s ability to source, attract, and retain its employees will undoubtedly impact your company’s ability to compete effectively. For this reason, recruiting is a proactive sport. If you think posting a job and waiting for the best talent to flock to your doorstop equates to a commitment to finding top talent, think again.
Can you define talent?
Have you taken the time to truly document, assess and capture what makes your organization tick? If you know your organizational goals and how each department aligns with those goals, you’re well on your way to defining what criteria a new hire must meet to be successful. Too many companies define talent by a candidate’s resume, physical attributes, or base a hiring decision on the likeability of a candidate. It’s tough to objectively evaluate someone’s long-term fit, especially if they are (or aren’t) attractive, assertive, articulate or affable. Sometimes, bringing in an outsider to help objectively define your culture and hiring strategy can be a crucial step.
Focus on the right things
If you’re finding it continually difficult to hire someone with the exact skills you need, consider changing your thinking. Focus on a candidate’s ability to learn, or define the job by the work that needs to be done, rather than on the skills you feel are needed to accomplish the work. Hire based upon a candidate’s ability to learn, their results orientation, motivation, and their previous track record of success. Here’s the challenge: with this hiring model, you have to be able to balance short-term performance against long-term potential. This is tough to swallow when you’re either held to stock/stakeholder expectations, or you feel you’re already behind the eight ball. Start small. Start in one department and experiment.
How can you identify someone with learning and growth potential? One way is to ferret out a track record of excellence and leadership. Anyone can answer the question, “Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond” by naming one or two instances at a previous job. Find a history and track record of success by asking candidates about their successes in high school, college, their first job and beyond. Someone with the ability to grow, learn and lead will have no trouble listing a slew of relevant examples.
Other worthwhile questions that can illuminate a candidate’s potential are to ask for an example of when a candidate demonstrated initiative; to describe a time in which the candidate executed a project from start to completion; and to ask a candidate to describe his or her most worthwhile accomplishment at work or in school.
You can also assign homework. Give them a problem to solve that requires research and initiative and see how they do. This can go a long way in demonstrating a candidate’s potential.
Revising your hiring model to focus on potential can be tough, and does require some long-term planning. It likely will take your new hire longer to close any skill gaps. But if you’re successful, you will have a more engaged, appreciative new hire, and you’ll wonder why you waited so long to invest in this new way of thinking.
Stephanie Klein is President and CEO of Experience Factor, a Denver staffing and placement firm, and chair of the Denver Workforce Investment Board. Contact her at 303-300-6976.