When it comes to the foundation of a building, mistakes and errors are a scary thing to think about. The biggest reason for this is that any mistakes you make in the foundation will only get worse as you go up. It’s known as compounding defects and it means that mistakes grow.
The same can be said in the first stage of the recruitment process, the ‘Define’ Stage. As a line manager or divisional leader in a business you may think that you have a million other things to do that are more important than assisting the development of job specifications & job descriptions. However, you could not be further from the truth.
The most successful and fastest growing companies in the Engineering and Construction sector have the greatest capabilities. The greatest capabilities are achieved by having the best people. Failure to accurately outline the targeted individual’s you want to bring into your organisation will simply mean you will never hire the right person, because you don’t know what you’re actually looking for!
Common mistakes made in the ‘Define’ stage
- “Just get us another John, he was great!” – Sure, John did a great job on that last project, but is this the same project and does it require another set of skills to be deemed a success? Vague descriptions of the type of person needed are a frequent occurrence, and a major contribution to the hiring of the wrong person.
- Not clearly defining SUCCESS for a role – This is a big one. What does great look like? How will the new hire be deemed a super success after 12 weeks, 26 or 52 weeks into the role? The job description should outline what great looks like, and be specific. E.g. “This position will be required to grow the division by 20% in the first year.”
Let’s play the “Spot the Difference” game
Engineering Manager – Traditional job description (Wow, this job is so exciting I am starting to cry )
- Minimum 15 years experience in Engineering
- Have 8 years min experience working for a manufacturer
- Be an RPEQ engineer
- Have great people management & leadership skills
Engineering Manager – Performance based (Awesome, now I know what I am supposed to do)
- Produce updated European supplier list within the first 3 months
- Ensure maintenance engineers are integrated into team by 6 months
- Grow the existing team by 35% over the first 12 months
- Recruit, select and on-board 3 new graduate engineers over the first 12 months
If you were a hiring manager, who would you rather hire?? Someone who could deliver the results, or someone who had all the skills?
Top 3 Benefits of a successful define stage
- Clarity for everyone. There is a mutual understanding of work expectations, before the person starts the job. This sets everyone up for success from day 1.
- Employee work is aligned with the business strategy. This means that the person in the job is doing work that is contributing to the successful achievement of the company’s goals.
- It makes Performance Management a lot easier, by setting out employee performance objectives and clearly defining what success looks like.
There are countless issues that can stand in the way of finding a great new hire. But there are also plenty of ways you can overcome them. Learn how to target your ideal employee better by speaking with Michael Berger at Talent Blueprint on 0438 444 919 or +61 7 3172 7726.
Michael Berger is the Director of Talent Blueprint, a Brisbane consultancy focused on providing clients with a true competitive advantage through talent acquisition and contractor management.
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