KeenHire Blog by Margaret Graziano

Breaking Through Barriers On The High Ropes

There I was 40 feet in the air, having just climbed the pirates net to the top of the high ropes course.  Sitting on the perch looking at where to go next, it occurred to me that I was scared x&*%less.

I called to “Big Dog,” the group leader, and asked what I do next. His response was to “follow your instinct”.  For 23 years in recruiting I followed my instinct and for the most part it led me the right way. Other times that old instinct got me in trouble. “What if my instinct is wrong” I called.

Implementing A System to Hire: Part VI And VII

The finale on our series on smart hiring.  Part I is here.

Step 6 –Choose Wisely

Matching is where the rubber meets the road in the recruiting & staffing industry.  Are you submitting the candidate because they are truly a match or are they the only one left who is breathing?  If you say to yourself, “Well they are all I have, " then pick up the phone and start making MPC calls. Just don’t make it a practice to shove a round peg into a square hole.

Step 7 – Briefing the Candidate

One can never under estimate the power of preparation, in your life or your candidate job search life.  The candidate who is prepared in mind, body and attitude is the candidate who puts their best foot forward and whether they land the offer or not; your wisdom, coaching and partnership is not soon forgotten. I recommend having the candidate research the company well beyond their products and services. I recommend the candidate call the customer service, sales or HR department and inquire about core differentiators, competitive advantages and strategic initiatives.  Additionally, I recommend the candidate take an inventory of what they have to offer and how it accomplishes the employers’ objectives for the position. I strongly believe that if the candidate prepares this in advance and brings a summarization of these matching parameters to the interview that the candidate will have everything they need both physically and mentally to close the hiring gap and nail the job offer.

As always try it on, see what fits, use it and throw away the rest!

Implementing A System to Hire: Part IV and V

This is part 4 and 5 on our series on smart hiring.

Step 4 – Candidate Pre-Selection

Choose a Quick and Clean Assessment: something that will highlight the candidates’ strengths, their weaknesses, their mental acuities, and their capacities to move forward. Make certain that the assessment is validated, cost effective, has a distortion scoring and is EEOC compliant. I recommend KeenClues™, and the market is flooded with potentials.  At this point, if someone looks strong, you might want to consider running a basic background scan before you invest too much time. 

Step 5 –Candidate Selection

Conduct comprehensivsive live (or phone) interview.  Uncover the where, whens, hows, and why of your candidates story; get a true sense of who they are, what they have accomplished, and why they are where with you right now.  Then ask them where they want to go.  It is your job to fully comprehend where they are, what they can do and where they want to go. If the deal breaks down, it is typically because you didn't cover these basics.

Once you have determined this candidate is acceptable and you are clear that that they are a key contributor for your market niche, it is a good idea to dig a little deeper and qualify them for your specific client need. Doing this means taking a look under the hood and further inquiring into their behaviors, values and capacities. 

Implementing A System to Hire: Part III

This is the third in our series on smart hiring.

Step 3 –Creating Buy In 

AFTER you know the candidate is a VIABLE target and they are WORTH your time; pull out their passions and their buying signs and create VISION for the candidates’ future well beyond the job, create a reason for them to CHOOSE you as their career partner.

*Keep in mind, if your opportunity is NOT something that is inspiring and worth your candidates’ time – NOW is the time to say so, and if your upfront – Your credibility will soar.

Great people want to know there is a selection process - just like athletes want to know they have to train to compete - don't listen to the story that great people are too great to test or follow an internal hiring process - that is an OLD worn out story - it is a tough business and if they can not make it through a stringent selection process they are doomed...watch for their energy level after each phase, and remember Always Be Selling the ones’ that are worth it.

It’s time to WEED and SEED. Save your voice, save your energy, save your tenacity for those who warrant your attention, your time and your gifts.

It is your job to INFLUENCE the STRONG ONES on the Opportunity, the Income potential, and the other things your ideal candidate will be turned on by; it is your job to INFLUENCE the candidate in partnering with you, in surrendering to your counsel and to follow your process (be enrolling –cause a new possibility for the candidate that moves touches and inspires them – a possibility bigger than the interview and bigger than the check).

Can you TELL that I'm EXCITED about this STEP?

Implementing A System to Hire: Part II

  This is part two in our series on smart hiring.

Step 2- Screening the Right Candidate In

• Phone Screen using 3-4 Deal Breakers (Knock out factors- Sales Volume, Quotas, Attitude, Goals, Type of Relative Experience, Education)
• Phone Screen for 2 NON Negotiable Sales Behaviors like Achiever or Competitor or Persuader or Miner.

Remember a candidate who does NOT shine in this part of the process means they DON'T move on. 

Find out where your candidate's head it at. What are their deal breakers? What opportunity is ideal to them?  What would really make them tick?

Complete a mini upfront contract "enrolling' them in the opportunity, the role itself, the company and THE PROCESS.

Implementing A System to Hire – Choose Wisely, Hire Slowly, Fire Quickly

This is the first of seven in a series on how to hire.

Your Goal:  Place Difference Makers and pave the way to your clients Succession Plan

Step 1 - Attract the Right Candidate

Rope them IN! (Short and sweet - remember you are always to be selling) - Whether you are or you are not advertising, pre-create your job pitch and have everyone on the team read and be able to recite it. As you create it - speak to the perfect listener; sell Jill Brown through Jill Brown's eyes. In the case of sales, if you want a high Dominant person, use dominant words (adventuresome, competitive, and decisive). If you want a person who is a natural influencer - then use those types of words (charming, confident, convincing) people will hear themselves and be attracted - as like attracts like. 

Don't under estimate how detrimental a mixed message can be to the right candidate. Sales people wont respond to an ad or a live 'pitch' that says - 'bring your detail skills and let them shine'.   No matter what we want to think, sales people are cut from a certain mold. Speak to the mold.

A good resource for this type of learning is Go Put Your Strengths to Work, By Marcus Buckingham
or Attracting Perfect Customers: The Power of Strategic Synchronicity by Stacey Hall and Jan Brogniez 

Working Smarter In the Second Quarter

April 15th is coming.  We all know the day.  For far too many Americans, April 15th is a stressful time where the reality of figuring out our taxes runs into our desire to procrastinate.  But April 15th is the beginning of the quarter.  If you're going to drive revenue this year to your business, you have to be hitting on full cylinders right now.  Work performed in the next sixty to ninety days will determine what you can accomplish in the 3rd quarter, and if you're aren't prepared the holidays will sneak up on you before you can make a significant impact on your earnings this year.

So it's time to make a plan.  What are you going to do right now, right this very instant, to make a difference in the 2nd quarter.  It's important to chart out long-term goals, but those are so easily set aside to accomplish in the future. If you don't give yourself something solid and concrete to do today, you have a exceedingly small chance of achieving your long-term plans. 

Get started now.  What one thing can you do today, to make your staffing firm better?