P = Producer
Ken Blanchard maintains there are only two choices when you are hiring:
1. A producer – someone who can do the job without needing a lot of help or supervision.
2. A potential producer – someone who will eventually be able to do the job without needing a lot of help or supervision, but you will need to invest some time initially to train them.
This is all about what I call the “REAL” job description.
In my training seminars I help leaders understand the difference between the FORMAL job description and the REAL job description.
The FORMAL job description is the job description on file in the HR office. The FORMAL job description usually defines 2 things:
- Responsibilities
- Qualifications
The REAL job description is about one thing: PERFORMANCE.
The essence of the REAL job description consists of the 2 or 3 things this person needs to accomplish within the first 6 to 12 months after their hiring—key performance objectives that must be met in order for their hiring to be considered a SUCCESS. It defines the tangible results the new hire needs to achieve for you and your team!
Up Close and Personal
During one of my training seminars, I presented the concept of the REAL job description to a room full of middle- and upper- level managers. One of the students confessed her confusion about the concept. I asked her, “When you hire a new person for your team, what important benchmarks do you need them to hit fairly soon after their on-boarding?” She told me, “That’s simple! Within the first couple of months, I need them to…
- Learn the ropes of our company—who’s who; what’s what; and how to get their work done…
- Gel with the rest of the team…
- Master the software we use to do our work…
- And get their productivity up to the same level as the rest of the team…
“Because after two months I DON’T HAVE TIME TO MESS WITH THEM!”
I had to laugh at the ENERGY in her voice—her own answer was a perfect illustration of my point! “That’s the REAL JOB DESCRIPTION you are hiring for!” I told her. She understood!
If PERFORMANCE is your primary concern, then during the interview, the key question you need to answer—for yourself—is simple:
Do I think this person can perform at the level at which I need them to perform?
Certainly, they must be qualified in terms of training, education, and certification. But ultimately they must have the ability to apply these to produce effective job performance. This is where their job history becomes vital. In the interview process, make sure you get plenty of information about their previous work, and what kind of results they were able to achieve!
Ask your candidate to share stories or examples of…
- When they performed above and beyond the expectations of the job…
- When they achieved exceptional results…
- When they demonstrated the ability to perform at the level of the position they are interviewing for NOW…
This is also where the hiring manager must have clarity about any so-called secondary skills that are required for successful performance in the position.
Primary skills are usually technical in nature—nursing, accounting, computer programming, engineering… to name a few. Secondary skills are often described as “soft” skills, but they can be just as important to the new hire’s success in their particular position—verbal or written communication, interpersonal dynamics, conflict resolution, creativity, and the like.
Up Close and Personal
During one of my management training seminars, I had a student who gave the whole class a wonderful example of the importance of secondary skills. She told me that she always had a tough time finding just the right person for her team of forensic accountants. I commented (before really understanding), “Oh…are forensic accountants difficult to find!” She laughed, “No, skilled forensic accountants are plentiful! But I need more than just good accounting skills!”
She explained, “My team is sent into organizations that are experiencing fiscal stress or financial failure of some kind. Our assignment is to do a deep dive into their records to discover where the problems are. To do that, we have to be able to work very closely and collaboratively with the people on the inside of the organization. So… I need forensic accountants who have good people skills, who can collaborate and communicate effectively with other people. I have found it difficult to find individuals who excel in both areas—accounting AND interpersonal strengths.”
Your team may be like hers! You may need team members who have strengths in areas beyond the technical skills needed for the work they do. If so, you must design interview questions that help you discern those skills in your candidates. For example…
If you need people who can handle conflict and friction in the workplace…ask questions like these:
- Can you tell us about a time when you had to address misunderstandings by other departments about the work you were doing?
- Can you give us an example of a situation where you had to resolve a difficult conflict with another worker or another team? What did you do? What did you say? What happened as a result?
- If you worked for us, and you discovered that an employee on another team was not performing adequately—and that was creating problems for you—how would you resolve that? How would you handle that?
Sometimes, you may need to find people who have a certain natural strength or talent, not a specific skill or technical expertise!
Here’s an example:
If you are hiring manufacturing or production line workers, you may also have a keen interest in finding people who are comfortable working at a fast pace. Here’s a tip: Talk to your front line supervisors. Find one who has good instincts for “reading” effective workers… someone who can read the body language of candidates and spot the clues of a fast-paced production worker. Include that supervisor in the interview process. It’s worth a try!
One more thing:
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your small organization can afford low-producing workers. Here is the truth: THE SMALLER YOUR ORGANIZATION, THE MORE CRITICAL IT IS TO HIRE HIGH-PERFORMING WORKERS.
If you or your organization needs help equipping your leaders with hiring skills, CALL US—we can help! We can also help you craft an effective orientation strategy for new hires that will bring them on board quickly and effectively.
For more great hiring tips you can use to find and hire the right people, stay tuned to this blog. And PLEASE feel free to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you, and be able to respond to any questions, needs, or suggestions!
Until next time… Yours for better leaders and better organizations,
Dr. Jim Dyke – “The Boss Doctor” ™ helping you to BE a better boss and to HAVE a better boss!
