Hire More Than Brains in a Jar

03/05/07

It has happened to most hiring managers and HR people. You hire what appears to be the perfect candidate he has great credentials, plenty of experience, and just the right skills. You hire him and . . . what a disaster. Maybe he won’t take risks, he rubs people the wrong way, or he blames anyone but himself for setbacks.

According to attorney Jonathan A. Segal, a partner with Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis Cohen in Philadelphia, you made a mistake. You hired “brains in a jar” and ignored the less tangible characteristics, like interpersonal skills, that are important attributes for success on any job. But how can you hire more than “brains in a jar” without arousing the suspicion in the mind of the candidate that you’re flouting anti-discrimination laws or basing hiring decisions on flimsy requirements you’d find hard to back up in court?

Start with Solid Specs
Segal, speaking to a group of HR professionals in Philadelphia recently, advised them to begin the hiring process with the proper foundation: A solid job description. “It’s the roadmap you use to know who’s right for the job, who’s not, and whether your decision is ultimately defensible.”

Besides outlining the education and experience you seek in a candidate, go a step farther and outline the interpersonal skills and behavioral competencies you believe are essential to success in the position.

Such skills and competencies are described by words like:

Adaptable

Calm

Flexible

Diplomatic

Persistent

Enthusiastic

Innovative

Responsible

A good job description also includes the outcomes required for success on the job, as well as the discretion and judgment needed to perform well.

Plan to Ask the Same Questions
Segal advised that you come up with a list of standard questions you’ll ask every candidate for a particular position. “Tell people you’re asking uniform questions,” Segal said. “You market against the perception that you’re asking unfair questions you may not be asking every candidate.”

A woman with children, for example, might find a question like “Can you work nights?” suspicious if she doesn’t get the job.

“A list of uniform questions,” he said, “protects you from yourself. It also gives candidate ten the same chance for the job as candidate one has.”

Watch their Actions
You can get a sense of a job candidate’s behavioral skills and competencies before you ask any questions. “When they arrive for the interview,” said Segal, “have them sit for ten minutes. Watch to see if they do anything unusual.” Segal tells of a candidate who, in the space of ten minutes, asked out the receptionist. “That told the employer everything he needed to know about the man’s character,” said Segal.

Another candidate got in an accident on the way home from an interview. He called the company he interviewed with and tried to get it to pay for the repair bills because, he said, “he was stressed out about the interview when he got into the accident.” Said Segal to the potential employer, “This person is telling you loud and clear he has a problem accepting responsibility for his actions.”

In short, he added, “Watch what candidates do, not just what they say.”

Uncover Behavioral Competencies
How do you find out if someone is “patient” or “creative”? Segal is a fan of simulations designed to reveal if present the qualities you seek.

For example, say you’re hiring for a customer service position and you need to gauge the candidate’s attitude toward customers. You ask the candidate, “How do you feel about customers?” The candidate responds, “Oh, the customer is king.”

To be sure the candidate will practice what she preaches, pretend to be an irate customer with a problem. Ask her to take on the role of CSR. How does she respond?

Another example: You need to know a manager will have the courage to handle disciplinary problems. You outline a problem, then take on the role of the employee who needs discipline. The candidate becomes the manager who must handle the situation.

“Simulations result in revealing, spontaneous responses to situations candidates will face on the job,” Segal told the audience. “You’ll see their skills and intuition in action.”

Quantify Cultural ‘Fit’
Managers often justify decisions not to hire by saying, “That person wouldn’t fit in with the culture here.” This is dangerous, because the rejected person may perceive discriminatory intent based on color, nationality, religion, or some other protected status.

In such situations, Segal asks his clients, “Tell me specifically what that person did or didn’t do that leads you to believe they aren’t a good fit.”

The answer should have nothing to do with protected characteristics. Instead, a good fit has to do with specific behaviors you can point to. For example, you’re a culture of go-getters, and this person was demonstrably passive. Or diplomacy is a treasured value at your firm, and the candidate was brash, opinionated, and lacked the tact necessary to succeed.

Finally, Segal noted the importance of treating all job candidates fairly. “They should say, ‘I didn’t get the job, but I was treated with respect and dignity.’” That enhances your reputation in the community, preserves customer/client relations, and may fend off legal challenges. “How you treat candidates you don’t hire is nearly as important as how you treat those you do hire.”