This Hiring Advice is Not HR Approved
Photo Credit: Kelly Knox
Many will, rightfully, refer to 2020 as the year of the global coronavirus pandemic. I will likely, and somewhat jokingly, refer to it as my “professional job candidate” season.
In addition to simply being on the job market, I should also admit to a mild obsession with the art of interviewing. I even went through the obligatory “maybe I should join the $1 Billion job coaching market?” phase.
All this to say, I was passionate about interview process design BEFORE I became a master interviewee and NOW, well now, I have a lot of – non-Toby Flenderson approved – opinions.
Here goes.
Creating an interviewing – and subsequent hiring – process for your organization (regardless of size) is essential ...
... and before you get too excited and create an impossibly rigid, over-the-top flow, try this approach on for size.
Start by getting extremely clear, I mean freshly Windex'd windows clear, about two things:
1. What does success for this role look like in the first six months?
Literally.
What. Do. You. Want. To. Have. Happen.
If you can't articulate this, you need to take a step back and ask yourself what problem you're actually trying to solve by hiring someone to begin with.
I would also recommend a quick dip in the design thinking pool.
2. Past being "successful" in the first six months, I want you to honestly reflect on what matters most to you in this hire.
No, not what you think the market wants to hear honest. I mean HONEST HONEST.
A few real-life examples of what I've seen and experienced:
Is it culture fit?
"I really need them to mesh well with the vibe we've already established."
Is it reputation fit?
"We have a brand to uphold and it's really important to me that this hire represents us well."
Is it hard-and-fast results?
"I don't care about anything other than getting xyz done and I need it done fast by someone who only wants to do xyz for me.”
It is future leadership potential?
"I eventually want this person to become x executive - hiring them here will allow us to mold them the way we want."
Is there a void you’re trying to fill?
"I, honestly, need someone who is a lot like the person that used to do this job."
Is it to shake things up?
"We need someone to disrupt, someone who can bring new energy, get us out of our funk - a different type of thinking is what we need!"
If you can come to succinct answers for these two questions, the specific tactics surrounding your hiring process will reveal themselves to you.
Now, just for fun, a few thoughts on general etiquette from the lens of an interviewee:
If you're going to ask your candidate to interview with several people (which I do generally appreciate and recommended), make sure there is some obvious continuity between discussions.
It's a bad look for you and your organization if interviewers can't take a few minutes to prepare and share their thoughts with the next interviewer.
If you insist on personality tests or tests of any kind (I could not roll my eyes harder at this), be willing to share the results. It's invasive and rude to not do so.
If you're going to ask the candidate to take the time to prepare materials, make sure you are willing to dedicate the time to review the materials and provide thoughtful feedback.
Remember that interviewing is, in many ways, a form of brand building.
Pay attention to your setting, your packaging, your presentation - you are representing your brand and leaving a bad impression almost always has some sort of ripple effect.
