>Over the years, I have had the incredible opportunity to recruit, interview and hire some very talented people. There is nothing more exhilarating than finding the right person for the role you are trying to fill. Here are some thoughts on hiring.
- Hire the best. Second best will cost you too much. It doesn’t matter if you are filling a janitorial position or a CEO position, the best is what you have to strive for. In my experience, second best will always be a disappointment and will leave you and your organization short of achieving your goals.
- Resumes can be deceiving. I’ve seen some remarkable resumes that just didn’t line up with the individual during the interview process. The best predictor of future performance is past successes. Don’t let the resume get you starry eyed. Make sure to use behavioral based interviewing to uncover if this person has what it takes.
- Don’t just hire for the current position. Never allow yourself to be forced into a hiring decision. Always make sure that you hire a person that can not only fill the current position but one to two positions above the current one. This is the only way to build capacity into your organization for growth.
- Open your options to other markets and industries. Some of my most successful hires didn’t have any experience in the specific industry that I was hiring them into. Again, look for the talents, gifts, competencies, and, most importantly, the character traits you want for the role. If the person has all those, they will more than likely pick up the industry specific knowledge quickly.
- Hire for character. Character is defined as who you are when no one is looking. Those who have demonstrated and are demonstrating character will demonstrate it in the future. For me, character is the differentiator because it is what will drive decision making and the culture of your organization. I’ll take someone less qualified but with high character and aptitude all day long.
John C. Bain 