Selecting the Right Fit

Many organisations, once they have gained a group of candidates, presume the process to gain the best or right fit is quite straightforward. Most managers will review resumes and bring in a group of people to interview. Many however, find themselves at a loss. Having reviewed and interviewed a number of people they cannot categorically say “this is the one”.

Out of the entire recruitment process making an informed selection decision is one of the most complex and it cannot be taken lightly. The simpler the approach, the more fraught with danger it can be. When it comes to recruiting for their organisation, managers don’t want to miss the mark. They know too well what a bad hire can do for their business. Conversely they are intimately aware of the benefit a great recruit brings.

Looking at the other side; the individual who is hired. They want to feel at home in their role. They want to know they are challenged but not overstretched and that they have joined the team and organisation they were led to believe they would be working with.

Now, in finding the right fit for you, we are not purely making a skills match.

Someone who is able to fulfil the responsibilities of the role is Step 1. When reviewing resumes those that have a strong overlap in terms of duties will naturally stand out. You want the role in question to do certain things, we often look at the 80:20 rule. That is, in a candidate’s resume they overlap on 80% of the responsibilities and/or duties you list in your requirement.

The similar applies particularly on qualifications. A candidate either has the qualifications or not. It is easy for you to make a distinction on qualifications. The skills listed will also potentially overlap with the skills you request. Beware, a savvy applicant will copy the skills you have requested in your advertisement, in their resume, so it becomes more difficult to qualify a candidate on their skill sets listed.

Using the above is part of the process of making a decision on “right fit”.

Proactive managers not only address overlapping responsibilities and a qualification and skills match from a candidate’s resume, they go deeper.

To gain the confidence that you have “the one” you need to look at whether the candidate’s personal attributes overlap with those you are seeking, that they will work well in the team and fit with the organisations and your corporate values. Now this is a whole new can of worms. Overlooked by many.

When you outsource recruitment, your recruitment consultant will ask you a lot more intimate questions. The position description including the title, key purpose of the role, responsibilities, qualifications and skills are almost a given. However they will need to know how you, your team and the company tick.

Insightful recruiters will ask about the company, what is it you are striving to achieve, what is your vision and mission. What are the values you subscribe to as an organisation? What is the team like? Describe your ideal team member, what attributes do they display? Give examples of someone that has worked well and someone that wasn’t quite a match. What are the measures of success in their first weeks, months with the company? How will you manage that individual? What other interactions will they be having both internal and external to the organisation? What is the team like? How much structure is in place? Is the organisation structured or quite dynamic? What tools will they be given? How detailed is the induction program?

The reason these questions are asked is it indicates more concisely what the “right fit” looks like.

An ideal fit addresses the role, its title, responsibilities, qualifications and skills required, but it also looks at the individual’s attitude, values, team orientation, work orientation, personality and potentially, physical fitness that are the key ingredients that come together to make a match and give managers the confidence to make an informed and confident hiring decision.

This blog was taken from Author, Maree Herath’s new book “Bodysnatchers – Unlocking the Secrets of the Recruitment Industry” who is Director of Boutique Recruitment and HR firm, Harvest Recruitment