Self-delusion #1: Our company has such a great reputation/product/leadership team/fill in the blank that anyone would want to work here.
Self-delusion #2: We’re very selective about who we hire so we will make our candidates jump through lots of hoops, then make our decision. Our process is our process, and the right candidate will do it our way.
Self-delusion #3: Who’s the right candidate? We’ll know it when we see it.
The labor market ebbs and flows. Most say it’s getting tighter again which is good news for candidates. No one is partying like it’s 1999 but the sniff of multiple offers is back in the air. So how do you keep pace with the candidate market, striking the right balance between promoting your job and conducting due diligence on the contenders?
Tip #1: Start at the Finish Line
First, fast forward to the end of a successful hiring process. What will you need to make a decision? Not just from the candidates, but from within your organization.
Who needs to give input into the final job description? Who needs to actually interview the candidate? Separate true voters from politically correct buyers-in. Both are important, but each has a different place in the line-up and in how you manage expectations for their input.
Do you have true time committed from the voters? What authority – or contingency plan – do you have to move ahead to make an offer if you need to move quickly and someone is not available? For example, is there a surrogate decision-maker? If not, can you get agreement that a phone or video interview will suffice?
Will you require an exercise, presentation or any other kind of test to decide among finalists?
Are your HR people on board with compensation parameters, relocation assistance options, timing for background checks and other reference checking? Do you have a clear chain of command and a commitment to a reasonable time frame if exceptions need to be made to get the right candidate?
If all this sounds tedious and time consuming, it probably will be. But if you can put this in place before you interview the first candidate, you will have the leverage of a real game plan and the support of your colleagues to make the hire happen. There is little more frustrating than losing the candidate you want because the process did you in.
By Janet Long, founder and president of Integrity Search, Inc
