Is There a Flaw in Your Hiring Process?
If your business has hired several people recently who disappointed you by failing to live up to your expectations, you may have doubts about your hiring process. You’re not alone. Many executives wonder the same thing. Chances are there is probably nothing wrong with your process other than it’s incomplete.
Most organizations are very conscientious when considering who they hire. They check references, experience, education, and other qualifications of their job candidates. They may also conduct drug tests and background checks followed by a round of interviews involving several executives prior to making a hiring decision. Even though this thorough and conscientious effort has been put into the selection process, too many individuals are hired who turn out to be hiring mistakes.
Noted business guru Peter Drucker once said, “Chances are good that up to sixty-six percent of your company’s hiring decisions will prove to be mistakes in the first 12 months.” Given this statistic, it would be easy to surrender to the mystery and unpredictability of people. Don’t do it!
One often overlooked factor is how job candidates fit both your corporate culture and match the position for which they have been hired. If that’s the case, it’s likely you’ve picked people who have all the qualifications for success, but perhaps not in the jobs you seek to fill.
An extensive study conducted years ago and reported in the Harvard Business Review concluded that “fit” with a job is more important than any other factor in predicting an employee’s success. Yet, “job match” is seldom included in an organization’s hiring system. Organizations often hire good, talented people and then put them in jobs they don’t fit. Think of it this way. Imagine a corporation inviting Tiger Woods to their annual golf tournament and asking him to conduct a seminar on diving at the country club’s swimming pool. Though this is a ridiculous example, it is no more nonsensical than what some organizations have done with people they’ve hired.
“Job match” can be determined with our PXT Select assessment which measures factors such as the candidate’s thinking style (can they do the job), occupational interests (will they enjoy doing the job), and job-related behavioral traits (how well they’ll fit in with the rest of the team and the demands of the job). This assessment can also be used in establishing benchmarks (performance models) for positions which then can be used to determine the “job match” of job candidates. Information uncovered from the use of this valid, reliable assessment helps leaders and managers rely less on gut instinct in both the selection (hiring, transfers, promotions, etc.) and development process. A few of the benefits of using our PXT Select assessment include:
- Reduced employee turnover and absenteeism.
- Improved alignment and communication between managers and employees.
- Reduced workforce conflict and improved employee satisfaction.
- Maximization of each employee’s contribution to the organization.
- Increased sales performance and customer loyalty.
When used properly, our PXT Select assessment can significantly diminish the sixty-six percent failure rate that Dr. Drucker estimates.
In conclusion, your hiring process is probably terrific, but it may be missing the job match factor. If you are not consistently getting the results you expect from your new hires, you may want to start using job match in your system.
Check us out at www.GreatLakesProfiles.com. We have a suite of assessments which not only includes the PXT Select (for selection, succession planning, and development purposes), but our Emotional Intelligence assessments, Everything DiSC assessments, Customer Service assessment, our Integrity assessment, and our 360o surveys as well as culture consulting and a host of supportive training programs. We’re here to help, give us a call at (248) 388-0697 or send us an email to Jim@GreatLakesProfiles.com.