job fit « Fired Up!

Posts Tagged ‘job fit’

Talent Scouts – Using Your Employees To Source New Talent

Tuesday, February 26th, 2013

Today’s intellectual (thinking) workplace has redefined what we need from our employees. Employees rarely do the same task in the same way over and over; today’s service workplace now requires employees to think their way through constantly changing customer situations to provide responses that are customized and personalized.This means today’s employees must think in the ways needed to be successful in each job to inspire customer loyalty, and to drive profitability. And we know, not everyone thinks the same way, so not everyone is a good fit for every job.

An organization’s most significant asset is the intellectual capital of their employees – how they think, invent, create and respond. Therefore, every organization needs employees who are the right fit for the job – employees who have the right talents, skills and experience – they connect to customers and drive results. This makes the sourcing and selection process both more critical and more difficult.

Because fit matters, organizations now need to be more selective in the hiring process. This requires having a larger selection of job canididates to choose from – a fuller pipeline of viable candidates. And one of the greatest ways to fill the talent pipeline is to use your workforce’s connections and sourcing ability.

Consider the following ways to use your workforce to identify, find and recruit A-level (the right fit) employees:

Clearly identify the talent profile of for each role (this should identify the talents, skills and experience needed to be effective in the role). Share this information with all employees. Now employees know the attributes needed to be effective in each role.
Have all employees take a talent assessment, to be better aware of their natural abilities (talents and strengths) and to become familiar with the nomenclature of talents. Having a common language of talents allows the organization to better define, discuss and understand what attributes are key for each role, and what attributes must be sourced.
Provide talent scout business cards to all employees;these cards have the employees’ name and “Talent Scout” as their role. Coach employees to give cards to those people they see in their normal day who exhibit the talents and attitudes needed in company roles. Invite these people to find out more about the company. This starts to fill the talent pipeline so that when openings do happen, the organization has already started to source good fit candidates.
Have employees talk about open company roles to their (social and professional) networks.

No longer can management be the only party responsible for sourcing talent. Employees see and talk to (talented) people all day. They are connected to personal and professional networks. Be sure they know what attributes (behaviors) encourage a great “fit” in each role and send them out to the world to scout for (the right) talent.

Contact me () to learn how the Fire Up! Process can help you define the required behaviors needed in all jobs to help your team of scouts go out and bring in those who fit. More information at FireUpYourEmployees.com.

Tags: fire up your employees, hire for fit, hiring, job fit, recruiting, sourcing talent, talent, talent scout, the right employee
Posted in For Managers | No Comments »

Tell It Like it Is

Saturday, February 11th, 2012

We have been interviewing for several new roles at my company. We have a different attitude than most about hiring – we lay our cards out on the table – we ask the candidate to do the same – so both sides have the facts to assess whether the opportunity is truly the right fit. No games. No surprises.

As we explain this process to our candidates, they look at us in disbelief. Few companies share what really happens in the workplace in the workday. Fewer companies are honest about the expectations, challenges and opportunities of the role. And we win candidates in right away with our process. We set the stage that we base all decisions on learning and using the facts.

Sure, there is more to it – we first use a talent matrix to create a talent and skill profile for the role. We use this to craft our job descriptions and ads – we are up front and honest about the core abilities needed to be successful in the job. We require candidates to take a talent assessment and we use talent-based interview questions to determine whether the required talents and skills exist in the candidates we consider. It’s a logical and very effective process.

Here’s the point. We tell it like it is; there are no surprises when a candidate starts with us. This set the stage for a powerful relationship between the candidate, management and the organization. Candidates know we are straight with them and that we have the same expectation of them. And if they make it through our process, they then know that we expect the same behavior – to tell it like it is – as they encounter the things in their jobs.

Employees who feel they are lied to or are given only half of the truth, disengage quickly from companies. And with the contact power of social networks, this information quickly gets around. Better the world know you for your honesty, integrity and accuracy than for your inaccuracy and untrue embellishments.

We tell it like it is when it comes to performance expectations. Every employee knows what he needs to do.

We tell it like it is with our core values – what behaviors we expect and insist on in the workplace.

We tell it like it is with our customer service expectations – what “done right” is and how to build customer loyalty.

We have found that we can’t be successful basing any part of our business on smoke and mirrors – from hiring to daily employee performance. We need (and insist) that our employees (and management) tell it like it is. Otherwise, how can any of us consistently determine the best response?

Tags: core values, employee profile, hire for talent, hire the right people, hiring, how to hire employees, jay forte, job fit, powerful employee relationship, profile, skill, talent, talent assessment, talent based interviewing, talent matrix, tell it like it is, workplace honest, workplace integrity
Posted in For Managers | No Comments »

Fit Happens

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Marie was hired into a customer service role for a large international distributor. Her responsibility, in addition to doing the daily service tasks, was to provide “consistently exceptional service.” Based on her robust resume of previous work experience, the company expected great results. Marie failed.

Marie consistently lost her temper with customers who did not know how to order, had questions or required a second explanation of a product solution. She did not accommodate any changes to how she provided service – no personal touch – all customers were dealt with in the same efficient, but impersonal, manner. As Marie openly said, “I don’t really like people – but I’ll deal with them to get the job done.” Quite a first impression for a customer.

Marie may have been a great person (I’m sure her parents love her), but she is a misfit for this role; the role needed certain consistent behaviors that were not part of her core abilities. Fit didn’t happen.

Time after time I see organizations relying on candidates’ past skills or experience as the exclusive method for hiring. And though there may be mandatory role skill requirements, it is critical to also assess a candidate’s “fit” for the role – what the talents, strengths and passions are to be successful in the role.

Regardless of what our parents may have told us, we are not great at everything. But we are great at some things. When we discover these personal areas of greatness, we then can assess our world – what roles need what we do best – and can find our fit. Fit happens.

I find there are two primary problems in recruiting today’s A-level talent:
1. The organization does not clearly define the core abilities needed to be successful in the role,
2. Job seekers do not know themselves well enough to know their unique talents, strengths and passions.

Hiring managers must better define the required attributes in each role, and state them in their sourcing process. They must also require job seekers to spend time discovering and articulating their unique abilities. Only then can the two sides meet in the middle for a meaningful process committed to finding the right person for the right job. Then, fit happens.

Tags: A-level talent, employee fit, get hired, hiring the right person, jay forte, job fit, job recruiting, job success, the greatness zone, unique abilities
Posted in For Managers | No Comments »

Make All Your Employees Talent Scouts

Sunday, July 17th, 2011

Today’s intellectual (thinking) workplace has redefined what we need from our employees. Employees no longer complete rote tasks; today’s service workplace now requires employees to think their way through constantly changing customer situations to provide responses that are customized and personalized. This means today’s employees must think in particular ways to be consistently effective, to inspire customer loyalty, and to drive profitability.

An organization’s most significant asset is the intellectual capital of their employees – how they think, invent, create and respond. Therefore, every organization needs employees who are the right fit for the job – employees who have the right talents, skills and experience – they connect to customers and drive results. This makes the sourcing and selection process both more critical and more difficult.

No longer will most any employee be able to do any job. Fit matters. And to find employees who fit the role, the organization now needs a greater list of candidates to select from – to ensure the attributes needed to drive performance exist within the candidate. This focus on fit now requires a fuller pipeline of viable candidates. And one of the greatest ways to fill the talent pipeline is to use your workforce’s connections and sourcing ability.

Consider the following ways to use your workforce to identify, find and recruit A-level (the right fit) employees:

1. Clearly identify the talent profile of for each role (this should identify the talents, skills and experience needed to be effective in the role). Share this information with all employees. Now employees know the attributes needed to be effective in each role.

2. Have all employees take a talent assessment, to be better aware of their natural abilities (talents and strengths) and to become familiar with the nomenclature of talents. Having a common language of talents allows the organization to better define, discuss and understand what attributes are key for each role, and what attributes must be sourced.

3. Provide talent scout business cards to all employees; these cards have the employees’ name and “Talent Scout” as their role. Coach employees to give cards to those people they see in their normal day who exhibit the talents and attitudes needed in company roles. Invite these people to find out more about the company. This starts to fill the talent pipeline so that when openings do happen, the organization has already started to source good fit candidates.

4. Have employees talk about open company roles to their (social and professional) networks.

No longer can management be solely responsible for sourcing all talent. Employees see and talk to (talented) people all day. They are connected to personal and professional networks. Be sure they know what attributes encourage great “fit” in each role and send them out to the world to scout for (the right) talent.

Tags: A-level talent, find the right employee, Hiring employees, hiring the right employees, job fit, manager, social networks, talent
Posted in For Managers | No Comments »