Everything starts with requirements, even corporate Information Technology positions.

The manner a position requirement is put together and the questions it answers dictate how fillable the position and the caliber of candidates it attracts.

In corporate America, position requirements come from job description information. Job descriptions define the ideal candidate (and then some), what skills are required, and any pluses they might bring.

This requirement (job description data) that provides the candidate roadmap creates the initial roadblock by making the field of candidates too narrow. Secondly, it creates a barrier by not discussing what the candidate will do identifying the required performance. Thirdly, because of no detailed discussion of what work and challenges the position entails, the position doesn’t attract the performance-based, high-caliber passive candidates.

Therefore, the internal recruiters do not possess the adequate or accurate position information.  They are forced to look for skills that may not be required to fill the position and eliminate many high caliber candidates from the mix.  Because they are dealing with job description data, they cannot identify real requirements.

Without having knowledge of what the candidate’s responsibility will be, what needs to get accomplished over the next 1-2 years, a vivid picture of success, the hurdles/challenges needed to be overcome, etc. the position cannot be explained to the high caliber candidates enough to attract them.

In this scenario, skills are sought with no eye on caliber or past performance of the candidate.

Interviewing

Internal recruiters usually talk to the candidates responding to posted positions on job boards, company websites, and social media. Talent acquisition is usually not contacting or cold calling candidates, networking with someone to find a candidate who would be excited about the position, or working on referrals.  Most of the time when they do talk to a candidate, they are hamstrung because of their skill-based requirement and can’t adequately discuss the challenge, impact, opportunity for change, and other opportunities interesting to a top performing, high-caliber candidate.  They spend most of the conversation discussing the company needs from the job description in an attempt to find out if the candidate possesses those perceived essential skills. This kills the candidate’s interest level.

Motivation

This motivation for the position and company is driven by what the candidate will get to do, challenges they will have, impact they can make, what they can become, and how high they can scale. And because internal talent acquisition departments are focused on skills and needs, they cannot interpret or speak to the candidates’ motivations.

When this is not understood, an entire dimension is removed from the talent acquisition process, and makes it very difficult for internal talent acquisition to measure the candidate “fit” and candidate caliber.

The candidate becomes a 2 dimensional creature – someone who is just a list of skills.

Honer and Associates

At Honer and Associates, we focus is on identifying, attracting, hiring, and retaining the highest-caliber, top-performing candidates in the marketplace.  We provide a value-add service that pays off long-term in respect to employee longevity, promotions and low turnover.  If you have any additional questions about attracting the best candidates to your organization, please contact us at your convenience.

Most organizations start the hiring process with a job description developed by HR or the hiring manager or a combination of both.   It’s creation is usually triggered by some change – a new product rollout, a new project/program, a resignation, or a change in management.

These job descriptions generally focus on educational requirements and skills – either skills that the prior employee had and on what the manager thinks the job requires.  They rarely describe the work involved and what is entailed.

To start the process, the job is posted on the company website and job boards, and the hiring manager or HR wait for the resumes.

However, if the company’s goal is to find the best candidate for the job – not the candidate that can do the job- then this process is doomed to failure.

The typical goal of management is to find the person who possesses the skills necessary to do the job, interviews well, communicates effectively, and who is able to articulate they are motivated to do the job.

The problem lies in the odds being totally against hiring a high quality, top performer because that is not what the goal was set around when the job description was written. By focusing on “good enough”, “phenomenal” is compromised.

If passive candidates are the target, what are the chances that they will find that posting?  They are not looking for a new job, so they would not be actively scrolling through LinkedIn or CareerBuilder or even Dice.  If they do find out about the open position, what are the chances of them applying, proceeding through the screening process, showing up for the interview dressed in their best suit and tie, smile on their face, steady eye contact, and ready to sell themselves?

The chances are not good. The odds are better for hiring the “best fit” who applied to job description, not the highest caliber candidate, motivated to come to work for the company in the position because of the opportunity presented.

The majority of hiring processes focus around the wrong things – finding candidates who are eager to accept the position and who have a majority of the skills outlined by management in the job description.

To successfully hire the best talent, companies need to focus on building an effective hiring process and conducting planned interviews.  Managers need focus on gathering pertinent information (decided in advance) and selling the opportunity to the candidate – not on the candidate’s interest, job skills and ability to interview well.

At Honer and Associates, our mission is to assist our clients in identifying, attracting, hiring, and retaining the highest-caliber, top-performing candidates in the marketplace.  If you have any additional questions about attracting the best candidates to your organization, please contact us at your convenience.

No IT organization would ever tackle a major initiative without a complete requirement and a plan of attack, including realistic expectations.

When looking to hire top talent, job descriptions are the closest thing to a requirement, and if done correctly, they can serve as the requirement.  Fundamental Job Descriptions are static, built around skills and experiences the candidate must possess, never discussing what they will do. If we started a Job Description discussing positional responsibilities and followed with what needs to be accomplished over the initial timeframe (say first year), we can back into the competencies, track record, and experiences the candidate must possess to get the job done.

Traditionally, open positions have been created based on trigger events– a new product rollout, an employee quit or retires, or departmental growth.  When this happens, a job description is pulled together quickly and inaccurately or an old one dusted off the shelf.

Top-tier candidates, on the other hand, are interested in what they get to do and the potential they will have in the role and with the company.  They want to know about the future, not what they skills they have to have.

The current candidate pool of talent wants to know about growth prospects, their value in the company, career opportunities, company culture, and even something that explains why these open jobs are important to the company’s future. They want to know about the work that needs to get done.

Static, traditional job descriptions do not describe the work that needs to get done.  Because of this, traditional, standard job descriptions exclude high-potential candidates, the quick studies that learn new skills.  With a simple listing of skills and educational requirements, the top passive candidates aren’t the targets, they are either excluded in the screening process (lack of skills, etc) or they aren’t being provided the information necessary to get excited about the opportunity.

When a job description’s requirement list focuses on skills, you will attract a person who is a match for all the skills, experiences, industry background and educational qualifications listed, but they still may not be able to deliver the needed results.  To determine success in a role, a job description needs to focus on requirements – in the form responsibilities, success criteria, 1^st year expectations, and competencies necessary to do the job, and what they can learn. This information will attract top-tier candidates and interest them to the opportunity.

Competencies are the next level above skills.  A candidate who lists a skill in Oracle Financials is simply stating that they have knowledge and can work in that application.  A high-performing candidate with competency in application management rises above the “skill level” and would be effective in any financial applications software environment.  And if the caliber of candidate is the focus, as well as, past performance, they will learn what they need to know to adapt and excel in the new environment.

The key to change is education and knowing what attracts the top performing, passive candidate. When writing a job description, knowing the requirements – the goals of the job is a necessity.  What are the challenges and hurdles?  What does success look like?  Top tier talent becomes interested in positions because of the work they will be doing and the potential it brings them, not because of the absolute and finite skills they possess and the fact that they get a small lift in compensation.   Providing a much more complete picture of the job will always attract more high-quality talent than a simple, static listing of skills.

At Honer & Associates, we know how to attract top talent to opportunities.  We have specialized in talent acquisition for over 30 years, having filled over 1,000 IT positions.  To discuss this topic or others, please contact us at your convenience.