Hiring good people is one of the greatest challenges for a manager, and it is unfortunately, a skill that is underdeveloped. I often hear people complaining that “people don’t want to work anymore.” Finding and hiring the right people is not just about the candidate, it is more often a reflection of the manager and the company. Hiring the right person involves two critical aspects: attracting the right person with recruitment efforts and selecting the right person based on job responsibilities and company culture.
Recruitment efforts to attract the right candidate first require clarity from the manager and the company.
The first step typically involves defining the job responsibilities, experiences, and other qualifications. This is the easy part! Although, don’t overlook the importance of this step. The better the expectations are communicated with potential employees, the more likely they will be fulfilled and engaged.
The second step, the one that is usually overlooked, is how you sell the position and company. In other words, why would someone want to work for you? Similar to selling, you must outline the perks of working in your company. Company benefits such as income, health insurance, and vacation time are pretty standard ‘benefits.’ Go deeper though in considering other perks such as family-oriented environment, flexible working conditions, advancement prospects, and growth opportunities. These components refer to the company culture. That is a big selling feature when attracting candidates. Make a list of these elements and even your core values (only if you actually practice them) as part of the job posting.
Selecting the right person is a natural extension of the company culture.
The Selection Tool provides a nice overview of the process. A candidate’s role will be better suited to certain personalities. Also, their personality will be better suited to certain environments. You can use selection tools to help you with this piece. Finding out what motivates a person, their behavioral patterns, and decision-making style can all influence how well they execute a role. It’s better to find out early about a candidate’s specific risk factors and if the person may not be a ‘fit’ for the company. This involves investigating nuances of the person within the context of your company. I use the Executive Summary as a hiring tool with my clients and it has been incredibly effective in weeding out potentially disastrous hires and bringing on top talent.
Want to hire the best, then create the foundation to ‘sell your company’ and attract the best! For more information contact Robin Lavitch at www.SurpassYourGoals.com or on social media.
