Who Do You Want to Hire

As an executive recruiter, I must ask multiple questions to gain knowledge as to the type of role needing filled as well as the particular type of individual who would be well suited for the position. Learning about the company culture is a must to ensure alignment between existing and new employees and company objectives. “Who do you want to hire?” seems like a simple and direct question, but it is more complicated than meets the eye.

Let me say that the more I look at the online application process, the more appalled I become. We are taking the human out of human resources, and I can guarantee that if you rely on the process to heavily, you ARE missing out on the best candidates. Let me explain.

Knowing who you want for the role involves backing up to understand what the position requires. Certain temperaments are designed by nature to excel at certain aspects of a job, and you must know what the job needs first. We call this bench marking, and it can take time to truly dig deep into what the role should be, not what it has been or who has been in it. Too often, supervisors make the mistake of hiring what didn’t work the last time, wondering why they keep losing people.

Someone like me who understands human behavior can provide insights into the hiring process so that the role is clearly defined, giving us marching orders for the hiring process. It can break down here, though, when a different role is thrown into the standard hiring portal process – aka online hiring questionnaire. Seriously, people? Do you really expect a VP to go through pages of insulting questions designed for minimum-wage earners? You might think it isn’t offending anyone, but you would be wrong. What you are getting is compliant people who follow rules, but you aren’t getting top talent who will take your business to the next level by thinking out of the box. They can’t be bothered with your ridiculous, cumbersome application process void of human contact. They have gone to your competitors.

Again, it goes back to the role and what it requires. If you want a paper pusher who doesn’t question anything, an online portal will be fine. If, on the other hand, you need a game changer – someone you can top grade – you have to do things differently. You can’t capture a high-level player through an online application process. You need a human.

I understand that HR is overwhelmed and understaffed – that is where a recruiter like me can help. We step in and handle the process for you. We take the time to find, meet, talk, explore and engage candidates to find the right fit. So, I ask the question again: who do you want to hire? Someone who will just check boxes and do what they are told or someone who will blaze trails to new business? Before you post a single job posting, you need to know what you need and who you are looking for. I can help! Give me a call, and we’ll start the bench marking process because we all know how costly wrong hires can be. I’m all about the FIT!