Eye On Recruiting, Michele S. Magazine

THE INTANGIBLES ON RECRUITING–AND KEEPING–THE RIGHT CANDIDATE

Research shows that most interviewers make up their minds about a job candidate within the first two minutes. You conduct an interview. The candidate says all the right things. You get a good feeling. So you hire this person…only to be let down when he or she fails to live up to your expectations or, worse, fails to get along with colleagues.

The best candidates are those who will have the skill set needed and fit into your corporate culture. How can you be sure you are getting the “right” person for the job?

Studies show that testing can outperform traditional interviews 4-to-1 in predicting job performance. One of our clients, Laurence Hallier, the Las Vegas-based chairman
of Show Media Outdoor, has been using the Predictive Index (PI) assessment for every single hire in the past 20 years because he finds that it “nails” the skill set and
personality within his corporate culture and needs. The test takes less than 10 minutes to complete and is relatively inexpensive.

PI is a process that assesses people’s motivating needs and consequently improves employee job fit. The caveat is to be sure that the assessment selected is designed to
measure the particular skills and abilities most relevant to each job whether it be sales, management, marketing, etc. Your human resources director can help determine
which is best for your needs.

Three Thoughts on Interviewing

1. Involve others in the interview process with whom the candidate will work directly and cross functionally, because you will get valuable feedback and insights that
you may have missed. We have all had the experience of hiring a talented person who had all the right skills for the job, but whose style was not compatible with the rest
of the team. Not only is this painful, but it will cost you time and money. Research shows that multiple interviews can increase your chances of a good and lasting hire by 25%, because these candidates will more likely fit your corporate culture.

2. An interview is only as good as the questions asked. My colleagues and I at Stephen-Bradford Search use behavioral interviewing methods that delve into candidates’
thought processes rather than discussing their accomplishments that should already be on their résumés. We also recommend situational interviewing techniques, which provides insights into the person’s critical thinking and provides you with a sense of their strengths and weaknesses.

3. Don’t disregard checking references in your process, since past behavior is often a predictor of future behavior. When speaking with candidate’s references we always
like to ask, Would you hire this person again?