How to build a successful hiring strategy
“Failing to plan is planning to fail” applies more to hiring than most other business processes. Hiring top performers is not a matter of luck but the result of developing and following a consistent hiring strategy that includes the following:
- Performance-based job descriptions that clearly define expectations
- A structured interviewing process based on objective evaluation principles
- A key events hiring calendar that everyone should follow
- A comprehensive sourcing plan that brings in top candidates
- A good training programme taken by everyone in the hiring process
Having a solid hiring strategy will eliminate most of the problems and mistakes associated with hiring including: hiring on first impressions and gut feeling, inappropriate selection criteria, targeting the wrong candidates, lack of performance-based interviewing skills, bad timing issues, and a myriad other problems.
Take the next step and start building your hiring strategy now. It has been our experience that hiring managers who follow Performance-based hiring principles achieve outstanding results, minimise hiring mistakes and build excellent teams.
Performance-based job descriptions that clearly define expectations
Any job, from CEO to doorman, has 6-8 deliverables that the candidate needs to achieve to be considered successful once on the job. These deliverables have to do with major objectives, secondary objectives, teamwork, problems to be solved, planning and management issues, strategic and cultural issues. Performance-based job descriptions use theses deliverables to structure what is expected of the candidate.
The hiring manager will use the job description deliverables to source and recruit the candidate, to conduct interviews and later on to grow the candidate in the company. The process is objective as it clarifies expectations for everyone involved.
A structured interviewing process based on objective evaluation principles
This is the process we advocate in our “Hiring Top Performers” workshop. The process uses the performance-based job description as its basis to find out the most important traits that predict future success (including individual and teamskills traits) , comparability of past performance to the deliverables of the job as well as candidate cultural fit. The process is objective and does not discriminate.
Several hiring managers make decisions based on personality, gut feeling and first impressions. Personality and first impressions may be important. However, in the context of the interview, one has to make sure that they do not overtake the objective evaluation of the candidate. A structured interviewing process based on performance-based job description reduces the impact of personality and first impressions.
| go top |
A key events hiring calendar that everyone should follow
Having a key events hiring calendar is crucial to the success of your hiring efforts. This calendar should be used by everyone in the hiring process and should include: timing for developing the performance-based job description, budgeting for the position, advertisements, preliminary resume scanning, times for interviews and many other events depending on the company and the position.
Everyone in the hiring process should be on time with their appointments. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if one of your interviewers does not keep his appointment with a key candidate. Good candidates have multiple opportunities and must be treated as customers, not subordinates, by you and your colleagues. We have seen candidates reject offers because of bad timing, not keeping appointments and lack of preparation.
A comprehensive sourcing plan that brings in quality candidates
You can not hire top performers if you only see mediocre performers. A good sourcing strategy should include a mix of actions including running motivating ads, establishing internal referral programmes, using internet forums, setting up a candidate friendly web site, networking, training your HR staff in performance-based recruiting methodologies and employing professional recruiters.
Most of all, your company should have a timely process that does delay the hiring process. In our experience, good candidates have been lost to the opposition because of an unduly extended hiring process.
A good training programme taken by everyone in the hiring process
We can not emphasise enough how important it is to have everyone on the same page during the recruiting process. This starts with the performance-based job description and a uniform interviewing methodology that everyone follows. If you want to get up to speed rather quickly, consider our “Hiring Top Performers” performance-based interviewing workshops. In a few hours, you will learn and be able to follow a simple methodology that works for any organization, any industry and any position.
| go top |