The Hiring Process 101: The Legwork of Recruiting: Job Details, Selection Team and Planning
PART 2 of a three-part series
Want to find out how and where to begin your hiring and recruitment process to achieve better results?
We’ve summarized some key points on planning here. Watch for additional tactics to come in Part 3.
At Centennial, Inc., we align ourselves with good business partners to round out our expertise. Here, Centennial’s Mike Sipple, Jr. and Stratum U.S.A.’sJerry Howard have co-authored a three-part series on the ins and outs of hiring, from the planning stage to the start date.
The Legwork of Recruiting: Job Details, Selection Team and Planning
Following the right process is essential to helping you make the best hiring decisions possible.
First comes a little legwork. This crucial planning phase involves preparing the necessary background information pertaining to the job and how it fits into your organization.
At the outset, you will need to:
1. Create a clear and compelling job description.
Make the job description attractive and give it some personality — one that aligns with your company’s culture.
Define the reporting relationships and the nature of the business, as well as how the job fits into achieving your organization’s mission and vision.
Describe the challenges and opportunities of the position — and make sure it meets your business needs (especially if you feel missteps have been made before).
Ask yourself “What are the must-haves?” and “What are the nice-to-haves?” for the ideal candidate’s experience and skill sets.
Know you’ll need to give and take on the must-haves due to market conditions. Be prepared and stay realistic. You are seeking real talent with real experiences.
Set out to find someone who has most, if not all of the key attributes to be successful. Find a mix of the right skill set, behaviors and abilities. Look for the unique behaviors that can drive the success.
Bear in mind that behaviors can be staged to match what the clever recruit thinks you are looking for at that time.
Talent, passion and energy should never be underestimated.
Remember, hiring is not always perfect. It’s not an exact science.
2. Assemble an experienced and informed selection team.
We recommend limiting the selection team to as few people as possible to streamline the process. Include only the key decision makers for the hiring process, and those who will influence the hiring — call it the “true selection team.”
When working with a recruiting firm, make sure they have direct access to the entire selection team including the chief decision maker. Include them early and often.
3. Define and align on clear goals for determining the ideal hire.
The selection team should think through and agree upon ahead of time what is acceptable for the desired skill set and ability areas.
For example, is 7 out of 10, or 8 out of 10 skills enough to hire? In many cases, the answer is “absolutely.” But all too often, these conversations or debates take place late in the game, while the best candidate sits and awaits your feedback.
A candidate’s talent, experience, leadership and culture fit might align so well that you might decide that you can teach the technical. However, for technical, project-specific or industry-specific functional positions, you may also have to identify two or three key focus areas where you have to bring that key person up to speed.
What’s most critical in a candidate is to find a track record of successful behaviors and skills that can accomplish your goals and objectives.
4. Planning and timing
The more upfront planning you can do, the better.
When it comes to identifying people, timing for your business is critical — but know that the timetable for identifying the right person might not align with your business timing. Selecting and hiring the best candidate is not as simple as purchasing a new piece of software or hiring a new service provider, for instance.
Consider hiring a recruitment firm to act as an expert resource and “buffer” to follow up and report back across the team. We understand that everyone is always busy with other priorities, so having an expert on board can bring alignment and keep your process moving.
Key points on timing:
Think through when you need the person to start — and always start the process and communications several months before you need the talent on-board.
Work with your team to set the timetable and determine availability — because everyone has professional and personal agendas to manage.
Give yourself an extra two to four weeks to compensate for the unexpected, if at all possible.
Keep in mind that the more adjustments or changes you make along the way, the more time the process could take. However, using the process to help you align and make adjustments is critical to getting the right hire.
Try not to get frustrated during the first few weeks of the process. Trust that your clarity and upfront planning will pay off.
Make timely decisions so the “A” candidate is still available.
In short, the more clearly defined planning and priorities you establish up front, the more streamlined the process is likely to be. Clarity counts!
Centennial, Inc. has had the honor of being a part of this can’t miss simulcast for many years. It will be a day for leaders to be encouraged and inspired. Join Us for the 2012 Chick-Fil-A Leadercast – Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati, OH
May 4th. One day. Choose to be there. And bring your friends and colleagues.
The choices you make define the leader you become. And the choices you make are not just about you. They’re about the positive impact you can have on your organization, your community, and beyond. Our world needs everyday leaders who will choose to make it a better place. That’s what Chick-fil-A Leadercast 2012 is all about.
What’s happening
On May 4th, 2012, you will be empowered with life-changing insights from world-renowned leaders. This one-of-a-kind event will be broadcast live from Atlanta and simulcast into communities across the globe. Join more than 125,000 leaders from around the world and begin making choices that matter.
What to expect
You can expect to be challenged. Inspired. Encouraged. You will learn how to improve your own leadership skills and also have the opportunity to network with other leaders in your area. You will see just how far your own choices could take you.
What to do now
Plan now to attend, host, sponsor, and/or volunteer for Chick-fil-A Leadercast in your local area. Now in it’s 12th year, Chick-fil-A Leadercast has become the can’t-miss leader development event for everyday leaders like you.
May 4th. One day. Choose to be there. And bring your friends and colleagues. It’s one of the best choices you will ever make.
“When does our organization’s executive search & recruiting process start?”
It’s an active process that is developing every moment of every day, as your employment brand perpetually communicates the value you are placing on:
The values your organization lives out – not simply what is written in the lobby
The true ‘culture fit’ of your company
The chemistry dynamics of individuals and teams within your organization
The probability of success
The scope of developing, engaging and retaining the ‘best’ talent to hit your goals and objectives
The impact an employee will experience if they accept an opportunity with your organization
The short and long-term challenges a hired candidate will have if they accept the position
Growth and succession planning
Professional and personal time
The truth – what it is really like to work at your company
Authenticity – never before has authentic leadership and authentic culture been more important to leaders
Passion – every “A” player wants to join a passionate team that has a consistent and constant desire to succeed!
If you believe the recruiting process starts when you or your HR department ‘finally’ get around to posting a position externally, it is time to have a crucial conversation with your leadership team, people managers and key stakeholders to discuss how you can best position your employment brand and proactively attract the right candidates to your organization.
What question should we ask to start this meeting?
Watch this video and ask your leadership team to be critical of your recruiting and hiring processes. If you want to recruit the best talent you must have a culture that attracts the best!
I was recently asked to share what defines “A” players in the marketplace when recruiting leadership and key talent. The client asked, “what characteristics and traits should we be seeking if we truly want to recruit “A” talent to join our organization – executive leadership, management team and key people leader positions”. Although I could speak about this topic all day long, and technically do, I thought this would make for a great conversation with our blog readers!
First, let me share that this mindset in and of itself is unique. Too many organizations get comfortable in what has been successful and never move the needle beyond the point of yesterday’s success. This client, however, saw an opportunity to capitalize on what success looks like for the future. It’s exciting to partner with companies that are action and results-oriented!
They wanted to complement what has made them successful in the past decades with what will make them successful in the future! They truly do want to soar beyond where they are today…and
Second, I proceeded to share with them that an “A” candidate for one client does not equal an “A” candidate for another. However, after thinking through this organization’s request, I realized there are certainly traits that are consistent of top talent today.
Below is an initial list of traits that I believe define “A” candidates and top talent in today’s ever-changing environment. This list constantly evolves based on key learning’s from our client engagements and the dynamic definition of ideal talent in today’s marketplace. That said, here is my perspective today on what defines “A” talent:
Desires ongoing development both professionally and personally
The executive and human resource team that asked this question is leading a growing organization in the consumer package goods and distribution industries and has been wildly successful over many decades. They are reaching for a new level of success and being challenged by the ever changing customer demands and the consumer/customer centric movement. During our engagement together we have been focusing on their identified strengths while recruiting leadership and talent that will stretch their minds and business beyond where they are today as they seek the desired next level of success.
What would you add to this list? What traits do you seek in top candidates and “A” leadership? What traits do you see as the ‘driving motivators’ of selecting the right candidates? How do you benchmark these traits among candidates?
Mike Sipple Jr. is Vice President of Centennial, Inc., an executive recruiting, talent strategy and career coaching firm. Mike is passionate about attracting, recruiting, developing, engaging and retaining top talent for changing and growing organizations. As a second generation recruiting executive this business is thought to be a calling!
2010 has been a tremendous year for Centennial, Inc. Not only is business thriving with the upward trending of the economy, but we have been honored with two very prominent awards in the midst of our activity. We are deeply grateful for the recognition and confirmation of our efforts and relationships.
In August, Centennial was named a 2010 Tri-State Family Business of the Year (24-49 years in business) by the Goering Center for Family and Private Business. Read more here…
With October came the announcement that Centennial, Inc. was named a winner of the Better Business Bureau’s 2010 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics. Read more here…
“It’s an honor to be among a class of organizations that truly have values and mission to make a positive ethical difference,” said Mike Sipple, Jr. “It’s a class of organizations who seek to do the right thing first and who can be trusted to represent true marketplace integrity with their clients, and in their relationships and community.”
“We always give our best, because we value our clients and we’re passionate about what we do,” added Mike Sipple, Sr. “It’s very exciting and humbling all at the same time to be honored by the business community with these awards. All of us at Centennial just look forward to giving back and paying it forward as we help other businesses grow, succeed and equip great leaders.”
