Get the Most From Your Next Hire

Marcianne Kuethen

January 4, 2016

Shawn (not his real name) had been excited about starting his new job. After a big upheaval in his former company, Shawn’s responsibilities had morphed into something he no longer enjoyed. This new job had promised to bring him challenges similar to ones he had successfully tackled in the past.

But now that he’d been here a few months, he realized he had looked before he’d leaped. Not only did the job not offer the challenges he’d been expecting, but the culture was different from the one he’d previously enjoyed. Feeling bored and out of place, Shawn realized his lack of motivation was now dragging down his attitude and affecting the quality of his work. Was it time to look for a new job?

Have you ever hired an employee like Shawn who seemed full of promise, but whose performance and/or lack of motivation increasingly disappointed you? You might be thinking that perhaps you should have used a personality assessment.  While assessments of all types can be informative, there are better ways to get the most from your next hire.

Author Lou Adler says. “Maybe assessment tests, competency modeling and behavioral interviewing can help separate the more qualified from the less qualified in a talent surplus environment. But quality of hire will not improve since these people are not being assessed on their fit with the actual job, the actual manager and the actual culture and business situation. In this case there’s a high probability these good people will underperform because the job is demotivating, the hiring manager’s style is demotivating or the culture was ill-defined.”

To start your hiring process off right, Adler admonishes, you must clearly define the actual job, understand the manager who will actually supervise the new employee, and honestly assess your culture. If you’re off on these three things, you’ll have a mismatch in your hiring every time. We couldn’t agree more!

Define the Job

When we partner with a client, the first thing we do is explore what the company does and understand how it operates. Then we dig into the specific position to understand the job’s requirements. Sometimes, the title of a role and the actual day-to-day responsibilities differ. The more thorough a description you can give to your staffing partner, the better they can help you get the most from your next hire. Of course, a list of qualifications and education requirements is helpful, but until your recruiter understands exactly what responsibilities you want this person to perform, he or she can’t help you find the best fit.

Understand the Manager

Nailing down an accurate picture of the actual role can sometimes be challenging because you may be an HR professional and not the hiring manager who will actually manage the new employee. The best results come from your recruiter’s ability to communicate directly with the manager because, as Adler puts it, if you don’t “get the manager fit part right, nothing else will matter otherwise.” Without access to the direct supervisor, your staffing partner can’t be sure the candidates they’re presenting will be a good fit for his or her management style and preferences, or the functions of the role itself.

Assess the Culture

As you’ve often heard us say, understanding and defining your company culture is also imperative to making a good hire. No matter what you say your culture is, actions speak more loudly than words. If your leadership team likes to dot every i and cross every t, you’re going to want to hire detail-minded rule-keepers, not change agents who are out to cross every line you draw in front of them.

To get the most from your next hire, concentrate on giving your recruiter an accurate picture of these three things: the day-to-day job and its responsibilities, the nature of the manager who will supervise this employee, and your company culture the way it honestly is today. That way, your candidates will know what they’re getting into, and you’ll be able to screen them for the best possible fit.

To attract top talent, will you need to brush up your company image? Read more.

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