| In the best-seller First, Break All the Rules, authors | | | | many assessments designed for unique workplace |
| Buckingham and Coffman from the Gallup organization | | | | applications: psychological tests, personality tests, |
| assert that great managers do four activities | | | | behavioral styles tests, as well as tests that analyze |
| extremely well: select people, set expectations, | | | | aptitude, values, integrity, and beliefs that support |
| motivate and develop. Their research (in-depth | | | | new-business development. |
| interviews with over 80,000 managers in more than | | | | The Interview |
| 400 companies) supports the findings of Baltimore | | | | Although the interview may be the least significant |
| consultants Objective Management Group, which | | | | step in the process, no other step can help you |
| concludes that a top manager with at least eight | | | | measure self-presentation, composure, maturity, style |
| revenue-producing reports in a growing organization will | | | | or resilience. |
| focus 80% of their time on the following activities: | | | | Clients often ask me to interview candidates for them |
| recruiting, accountability, motivation and coaching. | | | | in order to provide a third-party perspective. Recently, |
| Recruiting is a concern prevalent among managers | | | | after making a presentation alerting employers to the |
| since many have had to control damage caused by | | | | trap of the "halo" effect (that glow created by good |
| hires who didn't meet expectations. Hiring the wrong | | | | interviewees), I walked into an interview with a |
| person is a major expense - lost productivity, lost | | | | candidate who greeted me with a warm, charming |
| customers, lost opportunities, and costs of replacement | | | | aura. She knew how to build rapport quickly. For many |
| recruiting and training. The smaller the business, the | | | | jobs, this warmth would be sufficient. However, when |
| worse the financial drain. | | | | high-ticket items are on the line, it's important to know |
| Conversely, hiring the right medical sales professional is | | | | that the candidate has the strength to ask probing |
| an essential foundation for building success. Therefore, | | | | questions. Did she have the ability to discuss price |
| a comprehensive recruiting process that allows you to | | | | value of technology and handle concern? By the end |
| seek out top performers is a necessity. | | | | of the interview, when she found out that she didn't |
| Let's start by determining what are the key steps in | | | | have all the beliefs needed to support her success, |
| hiring a sales person who can positively impact both | | | | she turned hostile. She likely would have behaved |
| revenues and margins. | | | | similarly with clients. So beware of the "halo effect." |
| After significant research and practical experience, | | | | According to a Michigan State University study, it is |
| Dave Kurlan of Objective Management Group | | | | estimated that over 90% of all hiring decisions are |
| recommends the following sequence of events when | | | | made from an interview, which is only 14% accurate in |
| hiring top sales personnel. Notice the differences | | | | predicting success. One of the reasons for its lack of |
| between the sequence and the importance of each of | | | | reliability is that most people don't know how to |
| the steps. | | | | interview. They are not taught the right questions to |
| Sequence Task Importance | | | | ask or how to formulate questions. They are not |
| 1 IDENTIFY 1 | | | | trained on body language, tone of voice and other |
| 2 SEARCH 4 | | | | factors. |
| 3 QUALIFY 3 | | | | One of the advantages of investing in the S.E.A.R.C.H. |
| 4 ASSESS 2 | | | | process is the ability to develop behavioral questions |
| 5 INTERVIEW 5 | | | | that target the beliefs and experiences needed to |
| The Most Critical Step | | | | succeed. Whereas you have only a 14% success rate |
| Contrary to popular beliefs that the interview or search | | | | with an interview alone, by combining all available |
| is the most critical aspect in the hiring process, Identify | | | | resources (reference checking, testing personality, |
| is the most critical. You must clearly identify the | | | | abilities, beliefs and interests, and a well-defined |
| attributes and experiences of the ideal candidate that | | | | S.E.A.R.C.H. Matrix), you will increase your success rate |
| can and will translate into success for your unique | | | | to 75%. |
| customer base. The entire process is only as effective | | | | The Resume |
| as this most ignored step. If you don't apply an | | | | The resume is another tool that is far less important |
| effective, comprehensive effort to step one, you are | | | | than it once was. A professional resume writer can |
| not likely to find and hire a strong sales person that will | | | | create a million-dollar resume for just about anyone. |
| succeed. | | | | Similarly, references have been of questionable value |
| There is a wide range of processes for identifying | | | | for years since many companies are fearful of legal |
| ideal candidates. One highly recommended tool is the | | | | reprisals. Studies indicate that 30% of resumes are |
| S.E.A.R.C.H. Matrix designed by Midwest Assessments, | | | | distorted. The National Referencing Corporation |
| Kansas City. The Matrix identifies desired skills, | | | | reported in Management Style that 30 million people |
| experience, attitudes along with expected results | | | | have secured employment by lying on their resumes. |
| required cognitive skills and desired habits. A client who | | | | About the only thing a resume can predict is the length |
| recently used this tool as part of a comprehensive | | | | of time a candidate may remain with your company |
| Positionalysistm said, "I've never been more confident in | | | | and the time of year when he or she is susceptible to |
| making a hire than the hire I've made using this | | | | a slump. The employment section of the resume is |
| disciplined process." | | | | telling. People tend to remain in each job for a certain |
| The Second Most Critical Step | | | | period of time. You will see this pattern repeated over |
| Although many managers feel that the interview is | | | | and over again. Others who change jobs tend to do |
| second in importance, leading employment research | | | | so at the same time of year. If you employ such a |
| companies suggest otherwise. Any candidate can | | | | person, expect some kind of depression, distraction, |
| make a positive impression. However, the ability to | | | | slump, or other downturn in performance at this same |
| create a "warm" environment does not indicate the | | | | time of year. |
| ability to build revenues. Two equally likeable | | | | Summary |
| candidates may produce very different results. | | | | Successful recruiters help organizations keep |
| Therefore, assessments are the second most | | | | customers, maintain or enhance productivity and |
| important step because they provide objective data | | | | leverage sales opportunities. They employ a disciplined |
| about the candidate. In addition to helping you conform | | | | process lead by identifying, testing for, and constructing |
| to EEOC Guidelines, the right test confirms or | | | | interview questions that help uncover attributes |
| challenges your impression of the candidate. There are | | | | required for developing new business. |