A Successful Journey in Profiling: Land-ho!

• Author: Anna Kassulke
• Posted: June 27, 2007
• Category: Profiling
• Tags: Center of Excellence, Performance Staffing, Profiling, STREAMline Training, Training
• Comments:

The Right Fit: Profiling In Relief, Part 3
 
In Part 1, From Pears to Plums: The Changing Employment Landscape, we explored mapping the changing employment landscape. In Part 2, Taking the Wheel: Charting Your Course, we went forward with how to navigate this challenging topography. In this last post of this series we will take a closer look how to use the profile we have created.
 
Here is something to think abouit: Good hiring does not happen by chance. It is the result of careful planning and execution. Yet many hiring managers rely on their intuitive reasoning instead of a rational and structured process that includes interviewing to profile.
 
The interviewing process takes place over time, and gathers a range of data from differing perspectives, so that ultimately the data is not a reflection of people’s perceptions at specific points in time; it constitutes accurate, objective, analyzable data. The process also involves a degree of psychological profiling. Data here might include measures of intelligence, emotions, insight, decision-making abilities, ambition, problem solving, and aptitude for leadership. Once your profile has been scientifically validated from multiple perspectives, you will definitely have a strategic advantage over your competitors.

You will know precisely who you are (and are not) looking for, to source for specific positions. You will no longer be relying on instinct, or the tides. Once profiling has been completed, your business, along with all those that have been engaged in the process, will gain a deeper understanding and consensus about what it is to succeed in each position.

By working together on profiling, everyone is able to reaffirm his or her alignment with the goals of your organization, and these are stamped and endorsed by executives and managers. The end result? You have validated profiles of the right candidate for each job family which you can archive and source whenever needed.

Here’s something else to think about: Profiling candidates before hiring them could give employers as high as an 80% chance of avoiding hiring the wrong people.
The next stage in this critical process is to describe and record the perfect candidate for each position by defining key duties, and circumscribing benefits and rewards.

Some organizations may profile only a few positions, say, sales, but in many respects this approach is like charting out a small section of the Atlantic and ignoring the rest. You should consider developing profiles across the whole organization, and for every position within each team. These are fact-finding explorations, not subjective last minute speculations.

Still thinking? Try this: A study by Sirota Survey Intelligence has found the main reason that workers leave their jobs is not dissatisfaction with money or employers, but with the work they are required to do.

Write a position description with a crystal clear recruitment message in language that talks to the right person and generates a response. Is ‘incumbent,’ for example, a word that speaks to those you are seeking to attract, or would ‘candidate’ be more appropriate? The writing should include key words or essence statements that could potentially be used in any medium, which describe real opportunities, not just requirements.

Of course, duties should also be outlined, as these are the short- and long-term tasks a person is expected to complete in order to fulfill their responsibilities. Be clear about these: they are designed to create an awareness of the position. Remember, we want only qualified people to apply, so this is a critical factor in successful placement.

If the position description is right, then the wrong people should screen themselves out of the recruitment process. Extreme examples might clarify the approach:

‘To qualify for this position, you must be able to demonstrate a minimum of two years’ business-to-business inside sales experience, and be a top producer NOW. In fact, if your current boss isn’t going to flip when he or she hears you’re leaving. This job is not for you!’

And: ‘You must be able to work grueling hours. So you should be able to distinguish between goal-time and clock-time. If you cannot multi-task in a deadline-driven, results-oriented environment, and be there when it matters most, please do not apply.’ Being explicit about what you don’t want can be just as important as telling potential candidates what you want.

In addition, it is important that we are vocal about our benefits package. ‘Excellent benefits’ is insufficient. Be specific: people are a great deal more influenced by benefits than they were in the past. What is it that your organization does that would engage and motivate a candidate?

The benefits package gives you an opportunity to describe your organization’s unique culture. And what are the rewards? If you provide care subsidies, flexible working hours, or educational assistance, tell people. If you intend to retain the right people, devise and maintain an attractive reward system.

Profiling helps you define your employer brand, which will further improve the flow of quality candidates to your organization; it also increases morale and lowers turnover. In many ways, in recruitment, you’re marketing your organization to potential employees. But if you do not correctly and consistently outline who you are, what you do, and what a candidate’s short- and long-term employment experience will be, you will not be as attractive to those people with the skills you know you need.

Done thinking yet? According to a recent Emerging Workforce Survey, U.S. business leaders will spend more than $600 billion in turnover costs over the next two years - a cost that could be substantially reduced by adopting an integrated approach to profiling and employer branding.

Effective branding, however, is not possible without having first established profiles for positions within your organization. Neither is sourcing, screening, assessment, or selection. Ideally, the whole process requires a validated and accurate scientific process in place.

When you have systematically benchmarked your work force, you will be able to speak to your target audience. Google is a master at this process. In 2004, they put up a billboard, which read: ‘{first 10-digit prime found in consecutive digits of e}.com.’ The answer (7427466391.com) led riddle-solvers to another question. Thus far in the process Google’s name had not even been mentioned.

Solving the riddles on 7427466391.com led to the website of Google’s R&D department, where the following appeared: ‘One thing we learned while building Google is that it’s easier to find what you’re looking for if it comes looking for you. What we’re looking for are the best engineers in the world. And here you are.

As you can imagine, we get many, many resumes every day, so we developed this little process to increase the signal-to-noise ratio.’ What better way of reaching your target profile? Nowadays none of us should be taking to the employment seas without a map and a compass. Every organization seeks to reduce cost per hire, improve time-to-fill, hire better talent, and retain the best.

So re-evaluate your hiring processes now, get ahead of your competition and boost your return on investment.

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