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The Ideal Job Candidate: Myth or Reality?
September 08, 2008
By Jeff Schmitt
The Ideal Job Candidate: Myth or Reality
As a job hunter, you've probably received a letter that read like this:
We apologize for the length of the process, but we are committed to finding an individual with the specialized combination of experience and skills to staff this position. Regretfully, we have been unable to identify such a person to date, so we are initiating a new search.
As a hiring manager, you probably wrote something similar. It is that clichéd response to candidates who don't quite fit. It may seem cold, but there is a lot riding on your decision.
According to Bill Benson, a partner at William Charles Search Group, "Making poor decisions can cost a company as much as three times an employee’s annual compensation package." Of course, that does not include the hidden costs such as training, lost sales, lower productivity and coaching (not to mention recruiting and developing the next hire).
The risks are indisputable. However, it can be nearly as hazardous to stretch a search. By understaffing, you can overwork your team, leaving them distracted and unprepared to capitalize on opportunities. In a world that demands speed, flexibility and excellence, you cannot run lean or remain indecisive for long.
In hiring, we often set the bar high. We post a job for an ideal person who simply doesn't exist yet. Instead of blaming the candidates, markets or schools, we need to turn inward and evaluate ourselves. There are many reasons why our recruiting efforts fail, including company reputation, hiring strategy, expectations and salary. However, there are many fallbacks available to us:
• Examine yourself. George Eliot, a British author, once wrote that repetition "like friction, is likely to generate heat instead of progress." Look at your recruiting effort. Are you still reposting that same job description after another fruitless round of interviews? Maybe your frustrations will be assuaged when a new candidate magically reads that same ad that you posted in that same outlet for months.
Don't bet on it.
Sure, you can always expand your geographic reach or advertising outlets—or even enlist an outside agency. Unfortunately, this doesn't change one element: the problem is you haven't adapted. You are still holding on to your unreasonable expectations.
Does that mean you start championing mediocrity? No, it means you start laying the groundwork for excellence. It means you create an environment conducive to excellence from the inside, rather than expecting it from the outside.
Start by talking to academics, association and community leaders and industry experts. Identify what is truly important, what you leave in and what to leave out. Similarly, meet with individuals who hold a similar position. Find out what is responsible for their longevity and success. Use these insights to modify your profile and rewrite your job description.
Similarly, it is no secret that the best candidate isn't always hired. Factors ranging cultural compatibility to personal bias sometimes factor into the equation. Look at yourself. Are you projecting any insecurities or preconceptions into the process? Talent hires talent. Mediocrity hires mediocrity. Be sure you are hiring the right people for the right reasons.
• Revise your expectations. Too often, we reduce candidates to cardboard cutouts. We specify predetermined years of experience in certain roles in certain industries. Maybe it is time to step back and examine those expectations. In a floundering recruiting effort, you might question if you are asking for too much (for too little pay). You may even wonder if you are asking the right interview questions.
That's a good start…but it goes beyond that.
Your struggles may reflect larger, endemic issues in your organizational structure. A new hire is too often seen as the panacea for knowledge gaps, changing expectations and departmental deficiencies. Rather than investing in training, product development, custom satisfaction and cultural initiatives, we throw people in—and marvel when the results are fleeting or inconsistent.
Instead of plugging holes, focus on building talent. Sure, there are baseline traits and skills every candidate should possess. However, look beyond that, to those unique qualities or experiences that inevitably translate into success:
• People Skills and Charisma
• Track Record of Success
• Creative Thinking and Problem-Solving
• God-Given Talent
• Enthusiasm and Energy
• Technical Knowledge
• Cultural Diversity
• Life-Long Learning
There is no magic formula for hiring the right people. It is still about talent, character and commitment. However, don't just project talent for today. Look towards tomorrow. Accept that the person you hire may not be a finished product, provided this person has high upside. The sacrifices you make in the short run will pay off long-term.
• Support new hires. To reap these rewards, you need a strategy. Pinpoint the learning curve and initial challenges this hire will face—and mitigate them. For example, look at condensing your hire's job description initially; give this person time to gain organizational knowledge and master perceived weaknesses. Provide ongoing training and mentoring for support. It was a grueling process to bring this hire into the fold—have a plan for developing and retaining this asset. Too often, we are looking for a right fit at the start. We don't recognize that an employer-employee relationship is no different than marriage, requiring two committed partners willing to work, grow and persevere through adversity and disappointments.
Similarly, use this hiring as an opportunity to reexamine your existing team's roles, to ensure they fit with changing organizational and personal goals. Realign responsibilities as necessary. Even more, don't be afraid to outsource, utilize a consultant—or even test drive a student, volunteer or temp craving experience. These are resources you can eventually groom for larger roles.
• Evaluate your organization. You have evaluated yourself and your department. You have accepted certain limitations and developed a plan to overcome them. Now, it is time to look at the big picture.
If you want the right candidates, you need to become the right company. Look at your corporate culture. What makes you successful? What makes you the place where truly talented people can make a difference? How can you get the best-and-brightest to come to you before you have to reach out to them? How can you set this tone in your own role?
Most important, ask yourself this question: what am I going to do today to start turning this vision into reality?
Jeff Schmitt is a consultant from Dubuque, IA. His e-mail is jschmittdbq@mchsi.com.
Sales & Marketing Management Magazine
This article is brought to you by Sales & Marketing Management, the leading authority for executives in the sales and marketing field.
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