When a new hire turns out to be an unsuitable match to the job, it’s often because the hiring manager did not have a clear idea of what it would really take to successfully fill the position.
While the applicant may have met the requirements of the job description in terms of experience, education, and abilities, those specifics do not adequately capture what separates success from failure.
How to make a great match every time
In order to make a great match every time, think about the best person who ever did that job (or imagine the perfect person) and write him or her a Letter of Recommendation and then hire to that criteria as well.
For example,
Judy excelled in the position because she met all deadlines on time and was able to resolve complaints in a way that ensured customer retention. She has demonstrated time and time again that she is a task-oriented person who pays a great deal of attention to detail and requires little supervision. In addition to being conscientious and dedicated, Judy is always amiable and cooperative.”
In other words, the more clearly defined the target, the easier it is to hit.
This was originally published on Mel Kleiman’s Humetrics blog.