SMART Interviews, SMART Job descriptions.

Are you asking SMART questions in interviews?

SMART is a Goal Setting framework, SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based and it can be used to enhance your interview process too.

It starts though, with SMART job descriptions. By clearly describing the objectives of your position, and defining the specific functional responsibilities of the position, you outline for your prospective hires exactly what you expect them to do in your position.

You may have had challenges with hiring or interviewing in the past because your job description or the functional responsibilities were too vague, unrealistic or confusing. Developing a job description based on the SMART framework can help solve these issues.

S = Specific

Be as clear and specific as possible with what you want the person you are hiring to do. The more you narrow the specific functional tasks and responsibilities, the better everyone interviewing and your prospective hires will be able to assess their fit to the position.

Example: “ In this role, you will be responsible for revamping our PM systems, creating documentation and workflows, and communicating the new processes to the team.”

M = Measurable

How will you and your new hire know if progress is being made on the objectives of the position? What is are the milestones you will be assessing them on achieving?.

Example: “In this role, you will evaluate and implement a new project management software solution with a goal to select the new system in the next 90 days.”

A = Achievable

Are the objectives of the position realistic and do you have the tools and/or resources to make them possible? Setting objectives for the position that can reasonably be accomplish within a certain timeframe will help keep your new employee motivated and focused. Setting unrealistic expectations can be a recipe for unwanted turnover. In the previous example, it's possible that a new hire very familiar with project management software solutions but unfamiliar with your company might need more time to get to know your company.

Example: “In this role, you will evaluate our company's current processes and systems and select a new project management software solution in the next 120 days.”

R = Relevant

When creating a job description and functional responsibilities, consider whether or not they are relevant. The job, job description and functional responsibilities must make sense in the context of your organization's values and mission. If it's not relevant or important to the job, eliminate it. Ask yourself how the function will help and how it helps with your objectives.

Contra Example: “Must be awesome at table tennis our team is very competitive and routinely challenges other teams at the company” is this really necessary for the person to be effective in this role?

T = Time-based

What are your overall goals for this position and all of it's functional responsibilities collectively? Are all of the responsibilities ultimately tied to a company goal or function, a product rollout or company milestone? Are the functions of this position necessary and time sensitive to achieving these company goals.

Example: “This role and your ability to revamp our PM systems, creating documentation and workflows, and communicating the new processes to the team by the end of the fiscal year are critical to the successful rollout of our company's new solutions beginning next year”

Using SMART job descriptions will allow your prospective candidates to know and understand your company and role based objectives and allow your interviewers to ask SMART questions like "This role requires you to evaluate and implement a PM system for us, when have you done that before?" and even to get more specific "How many systems have you used/evaluated, how long does evaluation and implementation take?" To insure that the prospect knows how to achieve the objectives. This makes interviews more productive and more likely to produce the desired outcome, a new hire who can help you and your company meet its goals.