Stephanie Klein, president and CEO of the Experience Factor, is a regular columnist for the Denver Business Journal. Her most recent column is reposted here.
When is the last time you said, “I just made one of my best hires ?” Most companies recognize they can’t afford a miss-hire on a critical opening. However, knowing how to hire the right person in the right way can be confusing and seem arbitrary at best. Here are six factors to consider the next time you extend any time or money in identifying and acquiring your next best hire.
Start with the end in mind One of the biggest mistakes hiring managers make is that they craft the job description focused more on the skills required rather than defining what success looks like for your business. Take time to specifically identify what a successful candidate would accomplish in the first quarter, first year and beyond. Then ask yourself “why would a top candidate want this job?” Is what you’ve mapped out logical, measurable and aligned to your company culture and organization’s strategies?
Know the rules Knowing where to source and identify top candidates is only half the battle. Knowing how to attract the best talent is even more important. There is nothing less effective than a generic job description with ambiguous or irrelevant skills requirements. These types of postings generate buckets of resumes, but not the type of candidates you really need. You’ll likely attract only those that are desperate to leave their current position. Time is a finite resource, use yours wisely by creating enticing, experience oriented job postings that speak to candidates and pull them to you. Invite your marketing department to help craft a convincing description. Go onto the major job boards and see how other companies are posting for similar roles. Any stand out? Recruiting 101 says make it more about what is in it for the talent you want to attract, and less about your company’s goals towards driving shareholder value.
Conduct better Interviews Lou Adler, a well respected pioneer in recruitment and training, argues there is really only “one” interview question that is relevant. “Tell me about your best work-related accomplishment?” By asking that question and peeling back the layers of the answer you’ll be able to uncover a wealth of information. You’ll learn about the candidate’s self-motivation, critical-thinking skills, work ethic, commitment, tenacity, and definition of accomplishment. Interviewing is about fact finding, peeling the onion, and digging deep into accomplishments, not asking a bunch of clever questions in an attempt to trick your applicant. In fact, Adler says the difference between good answers and bad hiring decisions lies in the fact finding. By asking the candidate to answer this simple question, you’ll recognize who amongst your candidates has a track record of success. Top talent will have no problem identifying significant and consistent accomplishments throughout their career.
Trust and verify Depending on the position, another step in the hiring process should involve giving the top two or three candidates a homework assignment. Hiring for sales? Have the top candidates create a presentation on the competitors in your market, and their suggestions for total market domination. Hiring an office manager? Ask them to present a solution to a bottle-neck process that currently exists within your company. You’ll be pleasantly or unpleasantly shocked at how each candidate prepares and presents their findings. This exercise is less about the “what” and more about the “how.” Also, we have found that honest and accurate reference gathering, offers a treasure of information and data. Typically the best talent will have many people on speed dial who will speak openly and honestly about their strengths, work ethic, and areas for improvement. Listen to the tone of the reference’s voice, and how he/she defines the candidate’s legacy.
Time kills deals This is an old adage, but rings very true in the business of hiring. We have seen many hiring transactions fail because the hiring manager got too busy with other issues, couldn’t get consensus on a final decision, or forgot that a delay gives both parties the chance to pause giving room for misinterpretation. The hiring market for top talent is red hot, and an unexplained delay sends very mixed messages that can unravel months of work and result in starting the process all over again. One final note; never leave the question of salary until the end of the process. Talk about it early and throughout the interview process.
Remember on-boarding means more than passwords and office keys The successful on-boarding and training of new employees is one of the most critical functions in any organization. It is not only about transferring skills or tools, but serves as the induction of the new employee into the organization’s culture. So many employers confuse “I gave them their benefits package handbook” with a proper on-boarding process. The best on-boarding begins before the employee starts; has a mentor been assigned, a welcome lunch planned? Have you formalized a 60-, 90-day six-month check-in process? You can find numerous and simple on-boarding checklists and successful case studies on the internet.
Hiring a game changer that truly makes a difference to your organization can be a rewarding and exciting experience. It can also be fraught with frustration, fear and missed opportunities. Take the time to craft the right hiring strategy well before you post your next ad and pray for different results. Happy hiring.
Stephanie Klein is president and CEO of Experience Factor, a Denver recruiting firm, and immediate past chair of the Denver Workforce Investment Board. Contact her at 303-300-6976 or Stephanie@www.experiencefactor.com.