Why the hell is hiring someone so hard?

I recently read a post by a recruiter talking about how frustrating it was to speak with a candidate for so long only to have them then ask you for the job description.  After reading through the bales and bales of comments by recruiters sharing in the misery of moronic candidates I simply asked, “Why did you not give the job description as step one?”

Okay okay okay … I am not a recruiter so I just do not get it … but I am the hiring manager for more than a couple jobs in my life and there is nothing more frustrating than getting a candidate who is not right for the job.

As I have learned in my life to always approach issues with, what could I do better to remedy this situation and ensure this does not happen again … I came up with my processing for streamlining the hiring process.

The most important thing to know in the hiring process is exactly who you need.  This does not mean you need a particular person in mind, but you do need to know what this person will be doing, where they will be working, who they will be working with, and how much you can pay.

Before you hire someone for a job you have to know what that job entails.  You need to take a look at the productivity requirements of the job, the social setting of the work location, the hours required, the dedication required, and any type of special skills required. 

Even though the Department of Labor says you cannot discriminate because of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, or any of those other things that does not mean you cannot discriminate because of ability. 

First create a description of the job to include all major and minor tasks that must be accomplished.  Be as complete as you can with this list because this is where you will generate all other discerning factors. 

Once you have created a complete list of the job requirements then you need to make a list of qualifications and attributes required to complete the job. 

In the recruiting process you have the candidates self-disclose if they meet these requirements and are willing and able to complete each job function. 

Your recruiting/hiring staff should also make notes of the candidate’s experience level with each of the job requirements. 

Some jobs require certifications but certifications are not always a guarantee that the candidate can work with your company.  A certification, like a degree, just shows that someone can meet the general knowledge requirements but is often not indicative of specific experience or understanding. 

I would also recommend having the incoming candidates take a personality questionnaire, but only if your staff has taken the same questionnaire.  This will allow you to see if you are hiring a diverse workforce who can also work together. 

Once each of these steps has been completed then you can be assured that the people you interview will be quality candidates that do not waste your time. 

The interview is the next phase in the process and can be conducted in many ways. It is imperative to not just read over the qualifications of your candidate but see if this is someone who can work in your demographic.  Send them a list of questions to think about prior to the interview.  Do not ever just wing it in an interview.  Make sure you have a list of questions you want to ask but be sure that these questions are relevant to the job and will help you decide if this is the right candidate. 

Do not ask questions that would force the candidate to lie!!!

I often just engage in dialog and see if I can get the personality of the candidate to bubble to the surface.  We have already reviewed their technical qualifications so now it is time to see if their attitude will gel with everyone else. 

Once the interview is complete you can write your assessment of the candidate.  You will need to rate the candidate on technical capability and personality.  Both are equally as important as you do not want to give a job to a nice guy with no qualifications or the overqualified lady who would just not fit in the company dynamic. 

About the Author

Dr. Bertwin Krosch Lord, PhD, PE, PMP is uniquely experienced in: the US Military as a Naval Nuclear Submarine Engineer as the leading petty officer in charge of maintenance, foreign relations, and shipboard security; Corporate America as an enterprise level Program Director; within small and medium sized companies working in a myriad of roles; and universities and NGOs within the US and in the international community working as a general worker to the Chief of Mission. This experience leads to connections within: the political scene in Washington DC and many foreign governments; the commercial and development landscape.