Try Before You Buy; Two Ways to Put The Candidate in The Position Before You Hire Them

I was a co-founder of a company called IMCOR (Interim Management Corporation.) We placed senior executives into interim line management roles and to complete high-level projects.

Our original model was to create a large database of senior executives who were in transition and then provide these executives to companies when they needed executive talent quickly and on flexible terms. We figured maybe 10% of the executives might stay on and be hired full time by the company. We were way off. In our initial years, the conversion percentage was over 30% and by the time we sold the company it was over 60%. Why? Looking back, I think there were two reasons. First, companies saw executives “under fire”. They saw them day-to-day and could witness the “cultural fit” in real time. Nothing like time in a fox hole to find out what a person is really like. Second, deliverables were very clearly defined. What did “success” look like in 3, 6 or 9 months? Because these were “interim” positions, companies clearly defined what they needed accomplished and by when. By doing so, they also defined what top quartile performance looked like. There was no ambiguity. It wasn’t a list of things they wanted in someone’s background, it was specific as to what they needed done and by when. When the candidate accomplished what they needed done, they knew they had found a top quartile candidate.

Hiring a candidate on a tryout basis is not always practical. (Although with so many candidates in transition today, it is easier to do.) If you can’t use a tryout, having a hiring process that will put the candidate in the job before you hire them is the next best thing. Start with a job spec that defines expectations. Define what success looks like in the next 12-18 months. What needs to be accomplished  and by when? Look at your current specs. Do they define expectations, what top quartile will deliver, or do they just list the duties, tasks, responsibilities and background? Then, interview candidates against those deliverables. Have they done this before? Where? How? What were the results? What worked well? What didn’t? When you narrow down your candidate list to the finalists, ask them to tell you how they would accomplish what you need done at your company. Do they understand the differences? Can they articulate how they would adapt to your culture, resources, and processes?

Lesson: The best way to see if a candidate is right for your company is to try them out in the position. If that is not available, then make sure you clearly define expectations and only advance candidates who have had similar accomplishments in like environments. As a final step, have them articulate how they would adapt to your culture/environment to accomplish your goals. Put them in the job, before you hire them.

Assess the effectiveness of your hiring process. Download our free 8 Point Hiring Methodology Assessment Scorecard. Find out if you have a great hiring process. CLICK HERE to download.

Cultural fit is why most hires fail. Do you know your company’s culture? Would everyone in your company describe it the same? To find out, download our Cultural Assessment Resource. CLICK HERE to download.

Author’s Bio

Mike Hagerthy is the founder of Hagerthy & Co, an executive search, training and consulting firm. For information on how to arrange for their complimentary Hiring Process Assessment please go to www.hagnco.com/page13.html#HiringProcess

The Real Reason For Checking References

Checking references is a critical component of the process of hiring top talent. Reference Checking is a key element of Step Five in our Success Factor Methodology of validating, verifying, and vetting what the candidate claimed in the interview. Most hiring executives and manages contend that candidates embellish and exaggerate what they’ve done and what they can do at least 100% of the time. In this radio program we explore the most effective tactics to reach the right references, how to interview a reference, and the process of “reverse-engineering” the interview through the references.

For more FREE  Hiring Resources go to www.impacthiringsolutions.com

Workstyles and Behaviors That Fit Your Culture

Dana Borowka, CEO of Lighthouse Consulting, explains the benefits of assessing  candidates before you hire them.  He explains how to use the assessment tools to get the most out of the person once they come on board. There are many assessments out there, but only a few ask enough questions to provide an in-depth analysis of the candidate. If you are considering hiring a key person in your organization you should  read Dana and Ellen Borowka’s new book, “Cracking the Personality Codes. “
You can dramatically increase your hiring accuracy with these assessments.

Our LinkedIn Leadership and Best Practice is an excellent discussion group for more issues around hiring. Click here.

5 Must Ask Questions For Every Interview

Eliminating candidate embellishment is one problem most hiring managers struggle with. By asking just these 5 questions and the probing deeply most embellishment can be detected. However, that isn’t the major reason for failed interviews.

Most interviews actually fail before the interview even starts. Failure begins in the lobby! The most powerful and impactful part of the interview starts before even one question is asked. If you want to dramatically increase your company’s interviewing accuracy this one hour LIVE Internet Radio Talk Show will let you know how.

In case you missed the LIVE Broadcast, you can still listen to the audio recording. We post within 24-48 hours all our LIVE Internet Radio Shows on Hiring and Retention on our website in our FREE Audio Library for Hiring Managers.