“Elizabeth, I need to understand how you can help me,” said my good friend and client who cornered me at my first post-quarantine gathering last April. “Well, what are you looking for?” I asked trying not show how ill prepared I felt for the question. “I have one customer service positions and over 100 applications. The thought of going through all of them is killing me.”
I had not expected recruiting to fall so easily into our service offerings but it made perfect sense. Why? Because hiring the right people starts with alignment.
Ask the people who know best.
Within a day of engaging the company, I sent a survey to the CEO and employees most familiar with the open position. Th
e survey was short and to the point, much like my friend. We followed up with a short meeting to clarify any questions and began screening candidates.
The preparation paid off the moment I met the eventual hire. Despite the Zoom format and the delays exchanging data due to COVID slow-downs, I knew we had the right person. The challenge was finding another one so we didn’t send just one to the client.
Many might be surprised by the candidate, the company, the industry segment and the points of alignment but here’s the thing, our survey didn’t ask about specific credentials and experience metrics. We focused on the “why”:
Graphic comparison.
| Company
(Manufacturing) |
Candidate
(Customer service in the financial services industry) |
| People in this position did well because they thought outside the box | At my former job, I suggested x number of ways to improve customer service hold times. |
| People who do well in this position schedule time with the boss to review the goals for the week. | I loved my job most when my boss asked me for feedback every week or two weeks and we could collaborate on what to do next. |
| People who fail in this position do not accept feedback and tend to think they know best about handing a situation. | When our team was required to work overtime to close cases, I adjusted my hours to work more during the week in order to protect my weekends. |
| We want to expand our marketing and customer experiences and need someone who can think creatively. | I love to hike and canoe and do outdoor things. I think it would be great to make a marketing campaign about what buyers and customers like to do in their free time to find ways to talk creatively about products and ideas. |
Ask candidates less about credentials and experience. Ask what makes them tic.
Asking relevant questions to understand what motivates a person is more valuable than checking off the list of credentials and skill sets. If you are hiring for talent, seek attributes not expertise. If you are hiring a teammate, seek evidence of teamwork as opposed to ability to accommodate whatever is asked. Individuals accommodate. Teammates contribute. There’s a difference.
What’s Next Biz helps align open positions with people who want to be part of an organization’s success. We stand by our commitment because we are invested in the long term success of the business and the employee.