Although not every position in your company may require intense scrutiny of the candidates applying for the job, many do. When hiring for key positions, it’s important that the right person be placed in such a way that he or she will be able to quickly begin contributing to the business.
Traditionally, the hiring process, whether for regular workforce or senior-level positions, begins with recruitment and then resume and interview vetting. This route can lead to great candidates being hired, but often results in bringing in only those who interview well or seem to be, when their best foot is forward, a good fit. What is seen in a five minute interview is not likely what will be seen day-to-day once the person is hired.
Often, the solution to this is to add more interviews to the process. This, however, rarely works. Depending on how critical the position the hiring is to fill, more elements can be added to the process that will not only increase the likelihood of finding a qualified candidate, but also one that will be a good fit for your corporate culture.
These added elements include:
Structured interviews. — Rather than the usual “question and answer” interview, a more structured approach that pulls more information from the candidate regarding their background, skill sets, and personality will find a better match for your needs.
Competency testing. — Assessing the competency of the candidates, once the list has been honed to a small number of choices, will vet them for personality and performance. For some positions, testing for critical thinking, leadership abilities, or job-specific skills can truly trim the list of candidates to those highly qualified for the position. While a resume and job certifications or experience may point to a candidate being a good choice, the skills listed or claimed may not be skills known or understood beyond the jargon to appear knowledgeable.
Simulation scenarios. — For some candidates, simulating or even bringing them in temporarily for a specific task may show them to be (or not be) suited for the job. A position requiring good communication skills, the ability to present well, and thorough product or technical knowledge can be easily filled by simply asking candidates to work through a simulation in which their specific on-the-job skills are put to the test. Depending on the situation, these simulations can be elaborate (the full integration of the candidate, temporarily, into a current project) or simple (basic Q&A about a hypothetical job or project).
Following these three additions with good coaching or a “mentor” relationship with an established person in the company who is a contemporary or colleague of the new hire can further shorten the learning curve for the person.
Using these additions to the standard hiring process, corporations can significantly increase the quality of their new hires, saving on training and “false positive” hiring.