Who : The A Method For Hiring

Always “Who!”
People are the most important part of my business. This book outlines clearly that a company’s issues don’t stem from products, procedures, strategies, or services you sell.

It’s all about the people!

Hiring Process :
Find the best candidates by using a method.

1. Scorecard = Defining the role, giving a clear picture of what the person needs to accomplish. This is the summary of the job’s purpose and the outcomes you expect. Score each candidate on their responses

2. Source = You should always be looking for talent. Recruiters are one option, but think of finding great candidates by reaching out to get referrals from current staff, colleges/professors, or friends/family

3. Select = Creating a series of structured interviews to gather facts, rate, and make an informed hiring decision

4. Sell = You must be able to sell the job on different levels: fit, family, fortune, freedom and fun

Four Interviews That Build on Each Other:
1. The screening interview = this is a 30 minute phone interview that is structured, asking the same questions of each applicant. It will save time and eliminate the wrong candidates. Ask: “What are your career goals? What are you really good at? What are you not so good at or not interested in doing? Who were your last 5 bosses and how would they rate you when we talk with them?”
2. The top grading interview = this is a chronological walk-through of a person’s career, asking 5 questions about the highs and lows of each job. Remember to ask the candidate why they left each job; were they pushed out or pulled into greater opportunities?
3. The focus interview = focus on outcomes and competencies, not the job description. For example, the person’s experience in selling or leading a team. It is best to have current team members conduct interviews with the candidates.
4. The reference interview = don’t skip this step! Of course, you will ask the strengths and areas for improvement, but also ask them to rank their overall job performance on a 1 to 10 scale.

Always ask questions that start with what or how or state, “Tell me more”. Don’t ask hypothetical questions.

You may need to interrupt the candidate when they go off course. Smile and say, “Wow, it sounds like [restate what you heard.] You were telling me about [restate the topic to circle back to.] Tell me more about that.”

Warning Signs:
Behavioralist Marshall Goldsmith says to be aware when candidates:

Seal the Deal:
Make sure you address each of these 5 areas before you offer the job. Additionally, sell in all phases of the hiring process as well as in the first 100 days on the job. Identify which of the five F’s really matter to the candidate.
1. Fit = show the candidate how their goals, talents and values fit into your vision, strategy and culture
2. Family = confirm that the family is on board with the new job.
3. Freedom = demonstrate that you and your culture will support their need for freedom so they can prove their worth without being micromanaged.
4. Fortune = research shows that while money can be a disincentive if it is too low or not linked to performance, it rarely is the key motivator.
5. Fun = what fun means is closely tied to corporate culture!

Deciding Who to Hire:
Gather the facts. Decide if the candidate's skills (what they can do) and their will (what they want to do) match your summary and the purpose of the job. When you believe there is a 90% chance or better the candidate can be successful in this role, rate them an “A” candidate.

Legal Traps to Avoid:
Stay well within the law and respect these 4 areas of caution:
1. Relevance = do not reject candidates for reasons that are not relevant to the job
2. Standardization = have a standard hiring process to ensure fairness to all
3. Use Non-discretionary Language during interviews and written forms = don’t be derogatory towards anyone
4. Avoid asking candidates illegal questions = do not ask anything to do with marital status, children, pregnancy, age, medical conditions, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental handicaps.