illingness to travel, what they need to be proficient at (like using Excel or driving a truck). A review/background check is mandatory. Information provided needs to be verified. Examples include the candidate’s experiences, references, education, skills and training. All of this tells us WHAT they can do and whether it matches the requirements of the job.

2. Develop a list of 3-6 key accountabilities (goals) that the employee in this job will be held accountable for accomplishing. Accountabili

Anyone with the responsibility for hiring or promoting employees knows how aggravating it is to select a candidate that seemed right during the interview process only to realize later the new employee isn’t really a good fit for the job. Both the company AND the employee suffer for it. Poor job fit often results in lost productivity, the need for tough management, conflict, burdens placed on other employees, acceptance of sub-par performance, lack of engagement, poor retention and more – all costly issues for today’s lean organizations. Many companies calculate their costs associated with turnover; that is one measure. But the true cost includes all of the above and more.

Admit it, we sometimes (or is it ‘too often’) hire the wrong person for the job.

First, let’s acknowledge that selecting the right candidate to work for you is hard. Here are just some of the reasons (e-mail me with yours):

• A number of people who make hiring decisions are not trained selection experts.

• Candidates are often ‘less than honest.’

• Resumes leave out all but the good and safe stuff.

• There is a lack of clarity (by the hiring manager) about what is required – beyond hard skills, experience and training - to perform the specific job well.

• Candidates are often hired because they have skills and are likeable.

• Candidates know a lot of people in the industry often have an advantage – even when not justified.

• Candidates are often better prepared for the interview than the interviewers (especially true of candidates presented by some recruiters).

• Candidates who are not a good fit – and the hiring manager knows it – get hired anyway. It’s the “Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise us”. (How scary is this one.)

How can you prevent hiring the wrong candidate in your organization?

1. Define the ‘hard’ needs of the job including experience required (and in what), knowledge of industry, training and education, consistency of work history, willingness to travel, what they need to be proficient at (like using Excel or driving a truck). A review/background check is mandatory. Information provided needs to be verified. Examples include the candidate’s experiences, references, education, skills and training. All of this tells us WHAT they can do and whether it matches the requirements of the job.

2. Develop a list of 3-6 key accountabilities (goals) that the employee in this job will be held accountable for accomplishing. Accountabili

es for today’s lean organizations. Many companies calculate their costs associated with turnover; that is one measure. But the true cost includes all of the above and more.

Admit it, we sometimes (or is it ‘too often’) hire the wrong person for the job.

First, let’s acknowledge that selecting the right candidate to work for you is hard. Here are just some of the reasons (e-mail me with yours):

• A number of people who make hiring decisions are not trained selection experts.

• Candidates are often ‘less than honest.’

• Resumes leave out all but the good and safe stuff.

• There is a lack of clarity (by the hiring manager) about what is required – beyond hard skills, experience and training - to perform the specific job well.

• Candidates are often hired because they have skills and are likeable.

• Candidates know a lot of people in the industry often have an advantage – even when not justified.

• Candidates are often better prepared for the interview than the interviewers (especially true of candidates presented by some recruiters).

• Candidates who are not a good fit – and the hiring manager knows it – get hired anyway. It’s the “Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise us”. (How scary is this one.)

How can you prevent hiring the wrong candidate in your organization?

1. Define the ‘hard’ needs of the job including experience required (and in what), knowledge of industry, training and education, consistency of work history, willingness to travel, what they need to be proficient at (like using Excel or driving a truck). A review/background check is mandatory. Information provided needs to be verified. Examples include the candidate’s experiences, references, education, skills and training. All of this tells us WHAT they can do and whether it matches the requirements of the job.

2. Develop a list of 3-6 key accountabilities (goals) that the employee in this job will be held accountable for accomplishing. Accountabili

Candidates are often ‘less than honest.’

• Resumes leave out all but the good and safe stuff.

• There is a lack of clarity (by the hiring manager) about what is required – beyond hard skills, experience and training - to perform the specific job well.

• Candidates are often hired because they have skills and are likeable.

• Candidates know a lot of people in the industry often have an advantage – even when not justified.

• Candidates are often better prepared for the interview than the interviewers (especially true of candidates presented by some recruiters).

• Candidates who are not a good fit – and the hiring manager knows it – get hired anyway. It’s the “Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise us”. (How scary is this one.)

How can you prevent hiring the wrong candidate in your organization?

1. Define the ‘hard’ needs of the job including experience required (and in what), knowledge of industry, training and education, consistency of work history, willingness to travel, what they need to be proficient at (like using Excel or driving a truck). A review/background check is mandatory. Information provided needs to be verified. Examples include the candidate’s experiences, references, education, skills and training. All of this tells us WHAT they can do and whether it matches the requirements of the job.

2. Develop a list of 3-6 key accountabilities (goals) that the employee in this job will be held accountable for accomplishing. Accountabili

interview than the interviewers (especially true of candidates presented by some recruiters).

• Candidates who are not a good fit – and the hiring manager knows it – get hired anyway. It’s the “Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise us”. (How scary is this one.)

How can you prevent hiring the wrong candidate in your organization?

1. Define the ‘hard’ needs of the job including experience required (and in what), knowledge of industry, training and education, consistency of work history, willingness to travel, what they need to be proficient at (like using Excel or driving a truck). A review/background check is mandatory. Information provided needs to be verified. Examples include the candidate’s experiences, references, education, skills and training. All of this tells us WHAT they can do and whether it matches the requirements of the job.

2. Develop a list of 3-6 key accountabilities (goals) that the employee in this job will be held accountable for accomplishing. Accountabili

illingness to travel, what they need to be proficient at (like using Excel or driving a truck). A review/background check is mandatory. Information provided needs to be verified. Examples include the candidate’s experiences, references, education, skills and training. All of this tells us WHAT they can do and whether it matches the requirements of the job.

2. Develop a list of 3-6 key accountabilities (goals) that the employee in this job will be held accountable for accomplishing. Accountabilities are the reason the job exists. They must be measurable. And these key accountabilities should occupy about 80% of the employee’s time and focus. (Note: From my work with clients, establishing key accountabilities is the most important pre-hiring activity and the one most often neglected.)

3. Benchmark the job. We find that those companies that effectively benchmark the soft skills required for success in the job have the information they need to look for the right candidate. And the information is objective (helping to eliminate bias). Notice I did not say benchmark your top performers in the job (such as sales). The reason is that your top performers may just be top performers in your company. It is not unusual for a company to benchmark the job and then assess their top performers and find this to be the reality. All is not lost. Two opportunities present themselves:

a. Using the benchmark you can upgrade the talent in the position.

b. Using the benchmark and the reports generated from our assessment reports, you will have great information with which to coach your current top performers into even greater performance.

Also, using a predetermined benchmark is fine for comparison sake, but it may not be accurate for the specific job you are filling or for succession planning.

4. Assess top candidates versus the benchmark. By using validated, legal assessments designed for use in selection of top candidates, assessing candidates’ soft skills is easier today than ever before. You can have the candidate complete assessments via Internet access. And you will often have their reports within minutes. The candidate’s reports should align with the benchmark which makes your analysis easy and quick. In areas that are marginal, the candidate’s reports should guide you in asking interview questions that target the soft skills that are most important to success in the job.

Soft skills are really important in all jobs?

There was a time when it wasn’