A different ball game, but the rules still apply
by Jeff Davies, PGPi Recruitment Practice Leader
jeff@performtogrow.com
Some time ago I read an article that stated, "in 1997, a
landmark McKinsey & Company study exposed the 'war for talent' as a
strategic business challenge and a critical driver of corporate
performance. They looked for evidence
that better HR processes distinguished the high-performing companies from the
average-performers, but it just wasn't there."
In a book by the same name written in 2001 they argued, "What
made the most difference was a pervasive talent mindset." It concluded that, "leaders invest heavily in
the 'A' performers, affirm the 'B' performers, and improve or remove the 'C' performers." Now, almost a decade later and with an
endless pool of high grade talent suddenly available, the latest Workforce.com
survey says most companies, even those that are profitable, are affecting a
hiring freeze. The old wait and see
strategy - while you wait, you will see them go to your competition.
This is not the time to let good talent pass you by just because
you can't see the end of this down cycle.
Now is the time to invest and pick up some real winners. Sales and customer service would be my two
top picks. These are positions that truly represent an investment with a
quantifiable Return-On-Investment (ROI).
This is the time when some very good talent has been involuntarily
separated through no fault of their own.
I said some. This is also when those C level performers were allowed
to switch employers, find someone else to carry them.
So if you know this is the time to build, how do you know
who is a "good switch and who is a bad switch?"
A very important criteria is "fit."
The biggest reason employees fail is due to poor "fit." The right fit
for the company, the right fit for the job they will be doing, and the right
fit with the manager.
The job fit is straight forward but we have helped
countless companies improve this aspect with some very inexpensive, cost-effective consulting. The company fit and manager fit can be tackled with what
one professional recruiter, who has personally placed 487 positions, says is
the best single question you can ask, "Please
think about your most significant accomplishment. Now, could you tell me all
about it?" The
ensuing 20-30 minutes should have a series of insights from your candidate, and
that list is long. Call or e-mail me and
I’ll send you the list I have.
He concludes by saying, "By fact-finding this way, you put
all candidates on a level playing field. And when you can get all members of
the interviewing team to conduct their interviews this way, you'll remove
another key source of hiring errors - the tendency of most interviewers to talk
too much, listen too little and ask a bunch of irrelevant questions. One
question is all it takes."
I know that
makes it seem so simple - too simple. But you do exactly what I do as a
professional; you take something very complex and do it many, many times until
it is second nature. You make it look simple. My Dad always told me, "do what
you do best and hire the professionals to do what they do best. You'll be dollars ahead for your investment
and happier because of it."
Jeff Davies is a partner of
Performance Growth Partners Inc., a full service organizational improvement
firm specializing in HR audits, corporate outplacement services, customer
service assessments, customer service training, supervisory training, employee
surveys, employee handbooks, teambuilding programs and team training, on-call
and project based HR consulting services, outsourced HR services, employee
retention programs, performance improvement programs, executive coaching,
manufacturing process and operations improvement consulting, training and
programs, safety assessments, safety training, strategic planning, employee
retention programs, performance improvement programs, interim executive
placement, conference speaking, keynote addresses, business turnaround
consulting, healthcare consulting and a wide range of other services. Contact Jeff
toll-free at (877) 739-4747 or e-mail him at jeff@performtogrow.com.
© 2009 Performance Growth Partners Inc.
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