How to Hire a Candidate (You Want) to Stay

The cover story in the November issue of Talent Management magazine focuses on the importance of "Finding Candidates with the Right Fit" for the job. In a sidebar Manny Avramidis of the American Management Association makes this observation:

A challenge an organization faces is it never establishes a foundation--they just go out there and say, 'I need a marketing professional,' and they don't tie it in to the other pillars...that are important to make sure the person will fit into the organization.

An organization increases its chances for successful hiring when it knows what it takes for the candidate to fit the job/organization and for the job/organization to fit the candidate. Avramidis suggests hiring professionals should ask three questions (italicized). I offer comments.

Does the organization have identified corporate values?
Those values should have been identified long before the current hiring situation. Seriously, the values should be shared with the candidate, discussed with the candidate, and scenario'd for the candidate to consider and "play with." How much will that show and tell the hiring professional about the candidate's talents and the candidate's fit? My 10/21/07 posting, Expressing Value, presented how corporate values are relevant to an employee's engagement in her work and how managers can convey those values to the employee. What's said there applies to job candidates as well.

What are the core competencies most jobs would expect?
You cannot assume this "goes without saying." Assuming you and the candidate know the expected competencies makes it possible that, in time, you will not pay attention to the core competencies during the candidate search. Assuming may reduce speaking explicitly (and listening just as explicitly) to the candidate about what skills, abilities, and talents he brings to the job. The candidate should not only fit the job; the job should fit the candidate. He deserves the chance to excuse himself from possible failure by seeing up front the absence of fit. (B/T/W, a manager's core competency must be communication with his personnel.)

Is it clear into what absolute role the job candidate will fit? Does that align with the corporate vision?
The significant phrase in this pair of questions is corporate vision. It is important to know that the individual applying her specific talents to a specific job role. I believe it is just as important to know if the individual and the corporate vision meld. That means the corporate vision warrants being open discussion during the interview process. Avramidis states the candidate should be allowed to ask questions. My hope is that those questions are about more than job expectations, that they extend to Big Picture areas like corporate vision. The hiring professional does everyone good service by conducting interviews that encourage such questions.