Only one in four hires turns out to be a top performer, so how can you tilt the odds in your favor?
In his book “Topgrading,” Bradford D. Smart suggests a number of ways that you can improve your chances of hiring success.
- Ditch vague job descriptions in favor of concrete expectations
- Recruit from within your own network
- Talented people can get laid off, so consider a “tryout” or temporary project to test out a candidate who is currently out of work
- Go beyond resumes to check performance evaluations and accomplishments
- Have job candidates arrange interviews with recent supervisors, if possible
- Ask “competency” questions like “How did you improve your last organization, and how could you do that for us?”
Adapted from Ten Ways to Hire Top Performers at Baseline Magazine.