Shawnee Love   •  
February 5, 2015

Recruiting is a lot like dating.

As with dating, first impressions count.  People with whom there is good chemistry tend to be people who will work harder with and for you.  They will also be more willing to help out in a pinch and more likely to stick around in tough times. That’s good for long term success, so good chemistry is something you definitely want to find with your new hire.

Good chemistry is tough to define though.  You have it or you don’t.  Is it based on a subconscious radar picking up hidden signals or a product of our biases?  Experts will advise against letting your biases get in the way, but even that advice must be tempered with the recognition that we are all a product of our beliefs (aka biases).  Even if you lock your biases outside the interview room, rarely do they stay away forever.  If they are back when the new hire starts, it is better to acknowledge your biases and hire people who fit them than ignore those biases and find the new hire unable to measure up.

Important:  When I say biases, I am referring to your biases surrounding qualities and characteristics relevant to the job.  I am completely opposed to biases against stupid stuff that has nothing to do with job success such as race, religion, gender, age, etc.  Those biases ought to be a thing of the past.  It’s what’s inside that counts, i.e., talent, attitude and character.

But if you have a bias for action, then don’t hire someone who is slow and thoughtful.  If you like resourcefulness, ask for evidence of it in the interview.  Don’t ignore it and then get frustrated down the road.

Basically, if you know yourself well enough to know what qualities you admire and which you despise, then factor questions in your interviews, pre-employment tests, reference checks and background checks that will establish whether or not the candidate has what you are seeking.  That’s what we do when we hire for clients to ensure we are looking for the criteria that enhance an employee’s likelihood of success.  Taking the extra time on a variety of assessment methods cures another datingesque aspect of recruiting, the fact that people always put their best foot forward in the first dates/interviews. It is only over multiple interactions that the real person shines through so ensure you meet / assess your candidates multiple times before you… have one of them join your team.

How do you ensure the long term success of your hiring process?