Hiring Managers

Build Concensus Before You Start Recruiting

Sometimes, I wonder if hiring managers actually talk to each other before they start interviewing. A few weeks ago I met the Managing Partner for a local consulting firm. He, (I will call home “Mike”) asked me to coffee and told me he was looking to hire a strategic recruitment partner for their business. They focus on sales, business growth and now want to add recruitment process outsourcing division to compliment their service offerings. His description of the role suggested they needed an experienced executive to implement, manage and grow this recruitment outsourcing team. Although, the role sounded interesting to me, I already run my own business, J so we moved on to referrals.

I suggested he speak with a close friend and business associate of mine. Based on Mike’s description, “Laurie” would be a good candidate for the role since she has the skills he said were essential; project management, recruitment, high-level consulting, etc. To make a long story short, Laurie spent a half hour on the phone with Mike and then two hours interviewing with him face to face. She was invited in for a third interview with Mike’s partner , “Jim” and as the interview began with Jim, she was told they were looking to hire a recruiter – no project management, no consulting - strictly a $50,000 a year recruiter. Needless to say, that meeting ended abruptly.

How much time was wasted? Will this search ever be filled? Two hiring managers with two completely different visions of what tasks this person will actually be performing for the organization. All said and done it took 2.5 weeks to get through the meet and greet. Reportedly, they had three other candidates in process. Based on the two visions for this role, the other three candidates have a low probability of getting hired. How can this organization pick a candidate for the position if they don’t actually agree to what the person will be doing?

Unfortunately, I see this far too often. Companies decide they need to hire a _________ but never take the time answer and find consensus around these basic questions:

• What is the mission for the role? (What is a summary of the role this person will fill in your organization?)
• Have you defined the metrics/outcomes for this role, i.e. what the successful person will accomplish in the first 90, 180, 365 days, 2 years?
• What are the specific competencies/skills/experience needed to successfully achieve the outcomes for this role?

________________________________________________________

Ginni Garner is the Managing Director at Sanford Rose Associates in Cleveland, Ohio. Visit her on the web at http://www.srexecutivesearch.com/ginnigarner.html