When you hire people that are smarter than you are,
you prove you are smarter than they are.
—R.H. Grant.

OK. Imagine this scenario. You’re in the market for a partner—you’re ready to get married and make the commitment. You hear of a great guy, and the two of you meet for coffee. Chemistry is good, next date is dinner. A couple more wonderful dates and it’s time to introduce him to important friends and family. Everybody gives you the thumbs up, you’re a ‘go.’ He pops the question on date 6 and you’re married the next month. Nuts, right?

Most of us spend a LOT more time learning about a prospective life partner than a few dates, but in a sense, the scene I’ve just described draws a pretty good picture of how many companies make key staffing decisions.

Here are some pointers to help you hire the right folks into the right spots and to help you avoid the buyer’s remorse that comes all too often to managers who have hired poorly and find themselves wondering ‘what was I thinking?’

Start with a job description that clearly and honestly defines the job and candidate you are looking for. Take the time to work the language carefully. Run the description by others — particularly if you have staff performing a similar role. If your description is delivering prospects who don’t fit the bill, backtrack and rewrite the description. A good job description should describe not only the job duties, past experience expected, salary range etc., but also the culture of your organization. If the organization is straight-laced, quiet and a by-the-books kind of place to work, share this. Use the job description as a way to excite the right people about the opportunity and to winnow out poor matches quickly.
Take your time. You are under no obligation to ‘get married’ by the third date. Recruiting the right employees is a lengthy process that can include a candidate returning to the company to interview five or six times meeting with as many as twenty key people in that time. Include a variety of people in the interviews because you want broad buy-in and support for the new hire—especially for more senior positions. If the candidate is not employed, hire him for a week and really see what he’s made of.
Don’t hire in your own image. Hire to fill holes in your team not to make yourself comfortable. The urge to hire someone like us is natural – but resist the impulse. Instead, identify skills (technical and interpersonal) that may be missing in your team and work to add these qualities to your group.
Interviewing. Inspired interviewing goes far beyond the tired old chestnuts every candidate has come to expect. Forgo “What was your greatest accomplishment in your past job” and “what would your former employer say you need to work on.” Instead, surprise the candidate with real curiosity about who he is and what really makes him tick. Follow up his assertions with probing questions to truly understand if this person is for real or has merely learned to interview capably. If he says “I am an incredibly focused and hard worker” then ask him to tell you about how his focus and hard work have delivered superior results. Go for specifics.
References. You would be surprised how much people will tell you if you ask. I have noticed that many managers almost discount the value of conversations with references believing that former employers will guild the lily to prevent possible legal action. You can read a lot between the lines if you’re looking. When you ask about Sally’s competence, If a reference talks only about what a lovely person Sally is, what a great attitude she has, you are receiving a lot of information about what Sally is not. Probe (the worst that will happen is that the reference won’t address your question.) Ask in what ways Sally’s work contributed to the company’s/team’s success. Ask “now that you know her, would you hire Sally again in the same role?” If Sally has told you that she had ‘trouble with my boss’ you need to understand what occurred and whether the boss was a tough cookie or whether Sally has problems with a range of people.
If you’re not certain, don’t hire. Even if you’re incredibly short-handed and desperate to bring someone on board yesterday, hiring the wrong person is never a win. If you and/or others feel ambivalent about a prospect, don’t hire. If you’re bending over backwards to match his job experience to the opportunity, don’t hire. If you’re saying to yourself: ‘well, she’s not perfect but she’s the best we’ve seen in three months’, this is a no hire. If your gut is telling you don’t hire but you can’t find any logical reason to support this intuitive hit, don’t hire.

Bringing great people into your organization is critical to your company’s success. Take your time. Hire for strength, flexibility and character alongside specific technical skills. If you’ve done your job well, you’ve brought in an individual who will grow to add great value to the organization and be a happy addition to the comaraderie and spirit of your workplace.

The best leaders of all, the people know not they exist.
They turn to each other and say ‘We did it ourselves.’
~ Zen Saying

Dina Silver, MCC, is the Principal of Pegasus Coaching Group.

I specialize in leadership coaching working with senior executives and their teams to create great leaders and high impact groups. I have enjoyed success working with technically proficient people who need guidance in developing the interpersonal skills that are essential to effective and compelling leadership.

My background in the entertainment industry as a feature film and interactive game producer effectively assists me in helping leaders develop powerful executive presence so that ideas and challenging initiatives are met with keen interest and excitement. In order to lead, people must be excited to follow!

I have enjoyed trusted advisor status with high performance individuals, teams and organizations, coaching in high tech, entertainment, banking, and marketing.

I hold a B.A. in United States History from Princeton University. I am a Master Certified Coach (MCC) and hold my credentialing through the International Coach Federation. In addition, I am certified in a range of assessment tools including DISC and PIAV, and am an active member of Professional Coaches and Mentors Association (PCMA) and the International Coach Federation (ICF). I am married, have two teenage kids, two fat black cats and live in Santa Monica, CA.

If you are interested in learning more about how my work may be of value to you and your organization, please get in touch. I am happy to offer interested prospects a complimentary and confidential half hour coaching session so you can take me and coaching for a test drive.