Hiring Effectiveness – Review the Four Cs Before Your Next Hire

When companies experience a surge in business, one option they have is to look for additional staff to keep up with the demand. The new hires could be in various positions throughout the company, including production, customer service or even supervisory and leadership roles. It all depends what’s happening, and it’s never the same for everyone. What should business leaders look for when hiring someone new? Four areas of consideration should include competence, commitment, compliance and culture.

Companies love to hire experienced workers who can hit the ground quickly. Their backgrounds allow them to become positive contributors, and there is little training necessary. That’s where competence comes in. Without it, the new employee may be in a development, or trainee role with the organization until they are up to speed. And while a trainee may not be competent in performing the work task on day one, they should possess the raw skillset that can be shaped into becoming a successful contributor to the business.

How well a person fits into the compliance structure of how the business operates should also be considered. At first glance, you might think that you want someone who will understand and comply with the ways the company currently operates. If you are looking for “more of the same" with your next hire, then that’s the way to go. Another perspective though, is if you are looking to disrupt how you do things, and are looking for new ideas. Perhaps you are trying to “change the game” within a department and you need some critical, out of the box thinking that you don’t already have. If that’s the case, then you’ll need someone with the skills and experiences that you don’t already possess.

Same with culture. Are you looking for someone to blend into the background or are you looking for more diversity in your staff. Bringing in someone who might challenge the status quo could be just what you need.

The last area is commitment. Face it, no one is signing up for a lifetime job these days, but a commitment to the core values of the business is a must have. Without it, the relationship will be one-sided and probably won’t end well.

With the exception of a trainee position, competence in the role they are being hired for is a critical factor. Compliance within the operating structure of the business and a commitment to the core values of the organization are two other attributes that should be carefully considered when hiring. Finally, understanding the importance of your culture, and how you can help shape it, is an important aspect of bringing in new people to the business.

The important thing with all four of these considerations is to know what you really want, communicate your desires as effectively as you can and to hire accordingly. You should be able to assess a potential hire with more than, “Yeah, I think they’ll fit it well here.” It’s also healthy to review your recruiting and interviewing methods and strategies on a regular basis to better align with your preferred outcome.

What else do you want in a new employee? What attributes are you looking for during the interview stage? I’d like to think you are looking for someone who can answer your need for the four C’s — competency, compliance, commitment, and culture.

Making time to work on the business and helping your team members be the best they can be should be a top priority. Please add any comments or questions below. Good luck!

Mike Philie can help validate what’s working and what may need to change in your business. Changing the trajectory of a business is difficult to do while simultaneously operating the core competencies. Mike provides strategy and insight to owners and CEOs in the Graphic Communications Industry by providing direct and realistic assessments, not being afraid to voice the unpopular opinion and helping leaders navigate change through a common sense and practical approach. Learn more at www.philiegroup.com, LinkedIn or email at mphilie@philiegroup.com.