Cameron Laker - Founder, Mindfield
Hiring is an art. You need to start by asking yourself what you define as a “perfect fit.” Are you focused on cultural fit, capabilities, past experience or a hybrid of all?
One of the most important ways we determine if someone will be a best-fit hire is using the candidate’s references to delve into previous accomplishments. Often, we find that a person’s likability in an interview can skew the hiring manager’s decision. That’s why it’s essential to gain a strong grasp of past achievements to better judge if she or he will excel in the role.
A reference is a great resource to understand more clearly what a candidate is presenting in an interview. It can help you gain clearer insight into whether this person was the leader of an initiative, an idea generator or a key part of an overall team’s success.
One hiring concept we’ve seen that can be highly effective is allowing a candidate to work in your organization for a day. You can see how that individual interacts with your team and fits into the culture while working on a project and collaborating with some of your top performers.
For our clients, we use a data-driven hiring approach. This means we use a combination of reference checks, behavioural assessments and culture- and competency-based interviews. We use tools that allow us to predict the likelihood of a candidate’s success in a role. Once a person has been hired, we then validate our assessments continuously, evaluating key behaviours
Peter Reek - CEO, Smart Savvy + Associates
At Smart Savvy + Associates, we’ve interviewed more than 4,500 people over our eight years. When we evaluate candidates, we adhere to the 20-60-20 rule. In the workplace there is generally a top 20%, a middle 60% and a bottom 20%. With each interview, we look to identify individuals who fall squarely within the top 20% of their field – those who truly stand apart.
When meeting with candidates, look beyond first impressions by performing a “deep dive” through their career – scuba versus snorkel. We focus on contribution and results. Look for evidence of growth and proof to support claims of greatness. When you spot a pattern of concrete, quantifiable accomplishments, you will know you have a stand-apart candidate.
We ask two questions that we refer to as “the humbling”:
1. What have they done that has had the most impact on their employer’s bottom line?
2. What have they done that would cause them to stand apart from other candidates who will be applying for similar roles?
Here are a few signs that you are dealing with a stand-apart candidate. They: have been assigned difficult tasks ahead of their time; have led cross-functional teams with success; have been progressively promoted; are clearly identified as the “go-to” and “make-it-happen” person; know where they are headed and can articulate why they have changed jobs; and have been rehired by a former manager or rehired former team members.
Rikka Vassal - Human resources manager, TPD
Hiring a new employee can be a daunting task to even the most seasoned managers or human resources professionals. Making a selection after one or two short meetings can be difficult, knowing that if the wrong choice is made, it will cost an organization time and money.
Some managers might say, “Trust your gut.” While trusting your instincts has its place, there are more effective ways to ensure the candidate can do the job well.
First, ensure you get the most out of the interview. To do so, understand the role; learn the job description, key performance indicators, attributes, skills and abilities required to do the job successfully. When you understand the role, you have greater insight into the candidate’s responses, which empowers you to probe more effectively.
Second, tailor your interview. It is important to move away from the canned questions – ask the ones that really count. Develop role-specific behavioural questions to gain insight into how candidates will apply their experience and knowledge to the role, and how they will actually do the job.
Third, assess the candidates. Develop or purchase competency-based assessments to evaluate the practical application of their skills. In doing so, you can measure the candidates’ ability to do role-specific tasks.
