Recruiting—Your Monthly Tip for Success

Increase Your Talent Pool in 24 Hours 

Not having enough qualified candidates is the number one complaint in filling positions in our industry. But if you’re willing to think outside the box and try a different strategy, you can immediately increase the number of potential candidates from which you can choose and improve the quality and retention of the new hire.

Many hiring authorities narrow their candidate pool with limiting paradigms and mindsets about what a qualified candidate might look like on paper. Most start their hiring process by writing a typical job description, listing responsibilities and qualifications they believe are required to perform the role. But the problem is the gray area about what constitutes a "requirement" or "qualification," rather than centering candidate evaluation around results or outcomes desired.

Developing a performance profile involves identifying key results or outcomes the employee must achieve to meet or exceed expectations in the role. For example, we worked with a specialty contractor who insisted their estimator have a B.S. in Construction Management. But the key successful outcomes/actions for the job were 1) accurately measuring floor spaces 2) proficient use of a calculator for addition/subtraction, and 3) excellent verbal communications skills.  By removing the degree requirement, they dramatically increased their options, and made a successful hire.

The most efficient way to develop a performance profile is to take the following steps:

1. Document the top three to five key results or outcomes for which the position is directly responsible
2. If applicable, identify timeframes in which they should achieve those results
3. Detail, under each outcome, the 1 to 6 actions required to achieve those outcomes
4. Describe the "must have" technical and people skills to perform actions/achieve outcomes

By focusing your hiring criteria around the desired outcomes, actions and goals for the position, you can immediately increase the number of qualified candidates, ensure everyone on the interview team is using the same interview criteria, and you’ll have a useful set of metrics for future evaluations and/or pay for performance plans. Equally important, you’ll attract more "A Players" who are interested in impacts and outcomes instead of a mundane list of responsibilities and qualifications.

Next Issue: "Why Loyal Employees can be Terrible New Hires"

Kathy Cole has helped construction companies match extraordinary job opportunities to exceptional talent for more than 20 years. She founded DK Cole Executive Search in 2006. She is Past President of the Chicago Chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association.